Klaus Does the Right Thing By Her Drabble
by gonnahaveagreatday
Summary: Klaroline stories set after the phonecall, as that was pretty monumental.
1. Reunited

Klaus stood in the middle of that bar. The same one he talked to Caroline in that night, the one where he learned why Stefan was in his home. And in the middle of that bar was Caroline. She looked more beautiful than he remembered, and barely able to suppress her emotions, same as he. Luckily they were alone. Not even a bartender or a busboy. He stared in her beautiful eyes, and grinned. And without hesitation, she did the same, and let out a chuckle of happiness.

"Has anyone told you recently how beautiful you look" He asked, walking towards her. She giggled again and looked down at herself.

"Even in old lady clothes?" She asked, looking him up and down as well. He nodded. Caroline smiled at him and looked down again, crossing her arms.

"I've been looking for you." Caroline began, giving him an expectant look. Klaus grinned and stopped before her.

"Have you?" He asked. She nodded and Klaus gave her another smile before looking at her mouth. Her eyes widened and unconsciously she licked her lips, looking away.

"Caroline-"

"Please don't kiss me." She blurted out. Klaus opened his mouth and found no end to his sentence, so he looked away as well. She couldn't do this to him. She was engaged to Alaric, even if it was just for the girls. So Caroline plowed ahead with determination.

"I came here because I need your help." Caroline said, and Klaus met her eye.

"What with?" He asked, an eyebrow raised. She pleaded with her eyes for him not to be hurt. Klaus gave her a smile of assurance and she looked behind her.

"I brought the girls with me." She said, and tried to find an answer in his eyes.

"Is Stefan in trouble and he brought the trouble to you?" He asked, danger lurking behind his eyes.

"In a matter of speaking. It wasn't his fault." She replied.

"So protecting his brother instead of you which resulted in his being hunted by Rayna Cruz, that wasn't his fault." Klaus prompted

"The girls, Klaus." Caroline replied irritably.

"Right." Klaus said, looking away and clearing his mind. He looked back at her and Caroline prepared for this trip to get far more complicated than it had been. Maybe not by Klaus letting his feelings impede on her protecting the girls, but more than likely her feelings doing that job. She'd forgotten how she could get lost in his eyes. "Where are they?" he asked.

"Come on." She replied, and turned around to lead him to the girls. There used to be a time when showing Klaus Mikaelson something precious to her or her loves ones was like asking for him to destroy it. But she knew she could trust him. Although Stefan was a jerk who couldn't be bothered to respect her at all now, Klaus kept him alive.

Klaus and Caroline walked into a bar across the street, where the bartender had been compelled to keep an eye on the girls and keep them from harm, and they were too frightened to go anywhere. Josie and Elizabeth merely held hands, staring at their mother. Klaus stood beside Caroline and looked at the twins thoughtfully.

"Which one is older?" He asked. Caroline stared back at them with a reassuring smile.

"Josie. She's a few seconds older." She replied. Klaus smiled to himself and walked towards the girls.

"Hello." He greeted warmly, the kindness in his eyes slowly starting to reflect in their eyes. He crouched before them on their stools to meet their eyes. "Did your mother tell you who I am?"

"She said you were a friend." Josie replied.

"But she didn't say what your name was." Elizabeth added. Klaus cocked his head to the side.

"That alright. I can tell you now." He said. They sat ready for the name and he smiled. "My name is Niklaus. But you can call me Klaus." Elizabeth nodded and squeezed Josie's hand, looking at her.

"Daddy's talked to his friend about you before." Josie said.

"Has he? Did the things he said make you scared of me?" Klaus asked. Caroline came closer.

"Yes. But when he sent us with Mommy he said you weren't as bad as he made you out to be." Josie replied. Klaus smiled.

"That's good to know." He said. He stood up. "I am only bad, to those who would hurt the people I want to take care of. And now, those people are you two and your mother." Klaus told them. Josie and Elizabeth smiled, looking up at him. "I'm going to take you all to my house, so you'll be extra safe." He promised.

Klaus turned away from the twins and Caroline looked at him as he stared at the door.

"We just have to be careful leaving. I have more enemies than friends in this town now." He murmured.

"How're we going to leave?" She asked. Klaus looked at her and pulled his phone from his pocket.

"I have a witch that can help." He replied. She was about to tease him about the fact that he never is nice to witches, but Josie and Lizzie looked back at her with blank faces.

Klaus went into the other room to make his phonecall and Caroline sat with her girls.

"Josie, Elizabeth, Klaus's full name, is Klaus Mikaelson. And for right now you need to call him Mr. Mikaelson, okay?" Josie and Lizzie nodded. "When we're inside Mr. Mikaelson's house, what do we do?"

"We'll be quiet and ask before we touch things." Josie piped up.

"We'll be careful and won't run." Elizabeth added

"What's the last thing we'll do?" Caroline asked

"Say please and thank you." Elizabeth replied. Caroline smiled

"Good. Alright. If anyone comes in here, get behind me. And when Mr. Mikaelson comes back, you can trust him too." She said.

"Can I get behind you, Mommy?" Josie asked.

"Yes you may." She replied.

"Can I get behind you too, Mommy?" Elizabeth asked

"Mr. Mikaelson can protect you too, Liz. You need to go behind him." Caroline replied. Lizzie nodded and Caroline heard a creaking in the back of the bar. It stopped and her heart raced, reaching out her arm to shield Lizzie. The figure came through from behind the door and Klaus looked at her with a smile.

"Boo." He said. She glared at him with a huff and stood up.

"What's going on, can we leave?" She asked.

"Not quite yet. But when the witch calls me back we will be able to."

"Who's this witch, getting to actually be nice with one?" Caroline asked. Klaus smiled again, his eyes shining.

"Jealous, love?" He asked in return. Her eyes darted to the girls, silencing him with a glare.

"She is my sister."

"You only have one sister." Caroline replied.

"As I thought too. But last year she reappeared and explained our mother had betrayed her as a child and she had not had a good life with our aunt Dahlia. Freya was the first-born, and so her magic was the most powerful. Her magic linked to Dahlia's, was able to make her immortal." Klaus replied, trying to keep the grim details out of the story. Caroline looked at him with a mixture of concern and happiness, making him wonder what she was thinking right then. But he was unable to ask her right then, as Freya called him. He pulled the phone from his pocket and held it to his ear.

"You and the others are cloaked, you can come home." Freya said. He smirked.

"Thank you, sister." He replied. A silence filled with surprise followed and Freya hung up, as he put the phone back.

"We're ready." He told her, and led Caroline and the twins to his compound, where his family was waiting.


	2. Dance of Memories

They came together again, as they had before. For the first time since she'd come back. Since she'd saved him. His hand found hers easily, her hand hooked onto his shoulder and his hand placed on the small of her back. Sooner than before, they started to sway. He had no need to theorize of when they'd be together, and she had no need of resisting him any longer. She was free of everyone, and he was finally with her. He wasn't in pain any longer. So they closed their eyes and let their heads fall against one another's.

And so the music that played only in their minds became louder, and their undead hearts beat faster. Klaus came closer to her, and Caroline's hand moved along his skin to grip the back of his neck, up closer to where the hair on the back of his head was, feeling the hairs press against her fingers, grind into his skin. He gripped her body tighter and they spun, her dress flying around them, as did her long blonde hair, so they could no longer see the floor, just the blue-white of the flowers, the purples and reds stitched in, and the greens curling around every color like smoke. Klaus's lips sought hers, and she turned her face away, his cheek pressed against hers, spinning still. The music slowed and so did they. Caroline turning back to meet Klaus's eyes, and saw such a tenderness, she looked at his lips, and finally succumbed, their kiss the best thing she'd remembered in a long time.

Klaus's hand let go of Caroline's and he pulled her closer to him, and Caroline's other hand gripped his arm to keep her balance. They kept moving but it was in a slow dance, one that could easily stop in a second if need be. Caroline kissed him again.

They both heard Josie knock something over in the compound, and it sounded valuable.

"Lizzie did it!" She yelled and Liz yelled her protest. Caroline and Klaus's kiss ended slowly. They still gripped one another, her eyes opening to meet his, still half in a daze. Klaus's face showed he felt the same, and after they started to hear Josie and Liz fight, he smiled at her. She returned it, and he let her go, offering his hand to her. Caroline took it and they walked out to the fighting girls, hand in hand.


	3. That's Amore

I was in a good mood and I saw someone else's fanfic klaroline fluff so I decided to do one myself. I'm not entirely sure I did the fluff part right but I love this, so here it is.

I think I already did a fic with this title or something similar, but this is actually more attune to the song. No pun intended.

* * *

Klaus walked down the street of his beloved New Orleans neighborhood, once again safe. Once again in love, once again able to have that love returned to him with as much action as before. He couldn't help a grin from breaking free at the thought of Caroline's face smiling at him that morning, the first ray of sunshine in his day. And now he was walking back home to her, during the night. All he needed was her to be his incentive.

This felt like a dream. A really good dream. Air passing smoothly around him, his heart humming within his chest. Walking without a care in the world, caring for someone so special to him without a worry in the world. Caroline was here, she was with him, and anything that happened now did not matter at all to him. Her kiss still pressed on his lips, her touch still lingering on his skin. He'd accidentally gotten butter on his face, as when Caroline noticed she'd licked her thumb and wiped it off. He didn't want to shake that feeling today, either. As wonderful a dream as it could be, he knew he wasn't dreaming.

The moon as he glanced at it, made him to a double take. It was the biggest moon he'd ever seen in his life; high above the buildings of New Orleans, it was as if he could see every crater in its surface, the exchange of color from the sun to the reflection off the earth. It seemed to spotlight him like a giant flashlight. And he kept walking down the street, with a little spring in his step. And jazz music, only the bubbly kind as no one had died today, reached him, he winked at the saxophone player with a half skip, chuckling to himself at the saxophone player's puzzled reaction, feeling as though he could fly.

And as the blocks passed him by, one by one, each building seemed to shine as if the lights were still on inside them, as if the moonlight was following him and the world around him was glowing. Spotlighting the hybrid man in love.

Klaus skipped into the door and found the room Caroline was in, who was dusting the already shiny furniture. She turned to him and returned his grin. He could see the light in her eyes from across the room but didn't need to ponder on it, as he walked toward her and pulled her to him. Caroline had to keep her hands off of him while their foreheads touched, and quickly pulling the yellow rubber gloves from her hands so she could hold him back. Then he kissed her softly, and she kissed him back, Caroline allowing Klaus to pick her up and carry her to their room. There was no need to hurry.

They made love, long into the small hours of the night. The doors to his balcony were open, showing the stars as bright as the moon outside. Caroline laid on Klaus's chest with the covers about them, and they stared at the stars together. It was a perfect day, and now with her body upon his, Klaus rested a hand on her bare back and kissed her blonde head. Then he went back to staring at the stars, smiling into his sleep.


	4. We Are

_I love when our eyes meet across the messy, toy-filled living room and we smile at eachother like we are the luckiest couple in the world. Because we are._

The wooden chess piece was knocked off the table and Hope protested strongly.

"Josie!" Hope cried.

"I didn't mean to!" Josie replied, then went to another game. Klaus came in the room, having left Caroline to finish making the beds in the girls' rooms.

"What happened, Hope?" He asked calmly, more to calm Caroline down for when she would come in, knowing she was listening in.

"Josie knocked over my knight!" Hope cried, pointing her finger at Josie.

"I said I didn't mean to!" Josie cried back, and threw her toy down.

"Now, girls, it's alright." Klaus replied, down knelt before his daughter, Josie looking over at him as well. "Hope, Josette apologized. And your knight is just fine." He said and Hope looked away. He plucked it from his daughter's hands and showed it to her. "You see? Not a scratch." He looked over as Josie and gave a smile. Then he stood up, and gave the knight back. "It won't get a scratch on it, as it is more durable the rest of your possessions."

"Okay." Hope said and looked over at Josie. "Wanna play with the legos?" Josie's face lit up and Klaus smiled again.

As odd as it was for Caroline to be living with him, it felt more like a vacation from everything else. Even when his daughter and hers fought most of the time. And of course this wouldn't last. Alaric was still the twins' father, and Caroline did not need to keep her family this safe for that much longer. Klaus pushed the thought away as Caroline came down the hallway, carrying an old toy Elizabeth didn't like anymore. He met her eyes and she gave him a small smile before glancing at the girls. Just as Josie and Hope started fighting again over legos.

"Girls…" Caroline began, going over to them. Klaus watched her talk to his daughter and hers, then looked over at Elizabeth, who was silently playing with barbies. Soon Caroline sent Josie over to play with her sister. Caroline looked up at Klaus and he gave her a look, prompting her to come over to him.

"The girls haven't had something to eat for a little bit. Do you want to make something or shall I do it?" Klaus asked her.

"No, I'll do it. They do better with you anyway." Caroline replied. He smirked.

"Now love, you know that's not true." He said

"Is it, I mean, they're always fighting. And I have to make them separate for them to stop." She protested.

"Hope and the girls always fight regardless of who's watching them. It's just a natural thing for them, I've discovered. I think when they get older they'll be inseparable." Klaus replied.

"Really?" Caroline asked, and leaned against the counter. He nodded as she watched the girls play. They stayed there, standing against the counter, for a while. Caroline felt how close Klaus's hand was to her body, as it gripped the counter. But this wasn't a good time. She looked down and tucked her hair behind her ear, looking back at Josie and Liz. She gave Liz a smile when she looked to her mother.

"Oh!" Caroline said suddenly, breaking Klaus out of his daze as he looked at her. "I forgot, the snacks!" She added, looking at him. He laughed at himself as she passed him to get the food. His eyes went back to Lizzie and the girls. Josie and Lizzie continued to play with barbies, and Hope now joined them, being handed one with a ponytail which she promptly took out, inciting Josie to whine. Another fight began. Klaus stepped over an expanding ball and a couple dinosaurs that Josie had asked for, to get to the three.

When the fight was resolved and the three were able to stay together, he turned back to Caroline who had been watching, both in jealousy and thinking of the future. He went back to her and saw she had gotten three bowls of cereal out.

"There's the off chance that they won't want to eat, you know."

"I know. If that happens we'll have something to eat already." Caroline replied. Klaus smirked at her and she held his eyes, smiling back. She knew how much he wanted to kiss her right then. And this was getting really hard to control. But she had to.

"Mommy?" Josie called and Caroline went to her immediately. She played with Josie and Lizzie, named their barbies and picked out clothes for a little while. But eventually she started to get hungry. Caroline put down Daisy, who she'd been putting a dress on for Josie.

"Girls, do you want a snack?" She asked them. Hope nodded and followed Caroline back to the counter.

"Daddy, could me and Lizzie go and play outside?" Hope asked, looking up at her father. Klaus took that moment to take a deep breath and looked at his daughter.

"Only if you take Josette out with you." Klaus replied lightly. Hope and Lizzie tried to hide their disappointment but let Josie follow them outside. Caroline went out into the room and started to pick up their things, tripping over a large orange teddy bear Hope loved. When she regained her footing, she looked back at Klaus. His smile escaped in seconds, and she felt as though it was just them in the world. Them and their girls.

Oh she loved that idea.

And so she smiled back.


	5. I Learned that from the Pizza Man

For all those who don't know, the title is a Supernatural reference. Just saw the Megstiel kiss so I wanted to recreate it.

* * *

Just the other night he and Caroline were watching TV. They got bored, changing the channels, until ending up on a porn channel. Caroline protested it, but not before having seen the pizzaman telling the babysitter he loves her.

Funny that was the last thing that went through Klaus's mind when he turned back to the noise before him.

There was pounding on the door from the werewolves already turned, and Klaus glared at the door with a scowl. Whatever witch had programmed him not to be able to turn and on top of which to be injured by a wolf bite would be losing their head in the morning. That is if he'd make it that long. He looked up to Caroline, who was looking back at him.

"What're we going to do?" She asked him expectantly. All eyes turned to him and he looked back at his family.

"It's obvious what we should do, but not all of us can participate." Elijah said, staring right into his brother's eyes. Klaus smirked without humor.

"Quite the mind reader, you are." He replied.

"We must get everyone out." Elijah said, and Hayley led the way toward the other vampires. Caroline stood waiting for Klaus to look to her, and then walked to him, gave him a slow kiss, and wrapped her arms around him underneath his leather jacket. Elijah and Rebekah looked back in surprise. Rebekah looked from Elijah, to where Hayley had gone, back to her brother, and suddenly down with wide eyes. That sight will not be scrubbed from her memory for days.

Caroline let Klaus go and smiled at him. Klaus's eyes never strayed from her and before she even though of turning away he grabbed her and pushed her against the wall, hearing the sound of the wolves beating the door again. He kissed her hard, running his fingers through her blonde hair, and relishing in how it felt. Then he let her go, letting Caroline off the wall. Her eyes glued to him as he turned to face the doors again. Klaus looked back at Caroline, then to Elijah and Rebekah.

"Get out of here." He said expectantly.

"What was that?" Caroline asked.

"I didn't think I needed to spell it out." Klaus replied, turning back to the door.

"I kissed you like a see-you-again thing, you full on made out with me like it is your last night on earth." She protested. Klaus didn't look at her and Rebekah began pulling at Caroline wrist.

The last thing Klaus heard before the wolves broke through was Caroline screaming at him and Elijah yelling at the vampires to leave.


	6. For the Good of Many

"I can't do this anymore." Caroline blurted out. Klaus stared at her.

"What do you-"

"I can't watch you with someone else. It's just ripping me apart." She confessed. Klaus's breathing labored and he had to resist just plowing over her and ravaging her. "I don't care if it's your crazy ex, or your idiotic other almost-ex. If Jay sees us together, I will tear him limb from limb before he can hurt you, me, the girls, Hope…" she trailed off.

"Caroline." He said. She looked up at him and he smiled. She smiled in return as he walked to her, gripped her and kissed her hard. She kissed him back and then pulled away, holding him. Klaus smoothed her hair and looked down behind her.

"There's no going back if we do this." He reminded her. She pulled back and he met her eyes.

"We've already come this far, why not go all the way?" Caroline replied. Klaus kissed her again, and without a word, they left the compound, charging ahead. Klaus took her hand and they looked at eachother with a smile.

"That moment back there isn't finished, you know." He said. Her eyebrow raised and she grinned.

"I know."


	7. Andes

Trekking up through Andes was an idea Caroline had a week or so ago. With no pressing responsibilities in New Orleans, they went through a busy airport and flew to South America, preparing for a week or month in the mountains, depending on how long they agreed they wanted to stay there. Caroline had stayed by Klaus's side on the trail, or Klaus would see Caroline's backpack bouncing in front of him, their hands always connected.

Hope, Josie and Elizabeth were in Elijah and Hayley's care as they walked, and every so often, Caroline felt the urge to call, worried about whatever mothers worry. Klaus felt bad that Caroline couldn't get a signal, but she didn't want to leave the trail. And so he'd tell her stories to distract her. Stories of his travels, and his hardships involving Elijah, Kol, Rebekah. There were new stories involving Freya that seemed too incredible to believe, but she listened and the sound of Klaus's voice lulled her into a sense of peace.

Caroline looked at Klaus and he at her, both of them looking at the trail ahead again.

"I'm glad we went on this trip." Caroline said finally. Klaus squeezed her hand.

"I thought you were jumping at the bit to leave, worrying about Josette and Elizabeth so much."

"Well as soon as we leave the mountains I'm pretty sure we won't get home fast enough, but right now I feel a lot better." She replied. Klaus smirked to himself and lowered his head. Caroline kept her eyes on their journey and waited for Klaus to ready himself to say whatever he wanted to say.

"I do miss Hope as well, you know." He said after a while, and Caroline looked at him. She smiled.

"You and her mom on the road together, you guys probably got a lot closer than you were when you were more concerned about protecting Hope from people and forces far enough away you didn't have to stay by her side all the time."

"Yes, that's true. Watching Hope grow whilst I had no prior concerns was wonderful. I just hoped we would've been able to stay in one place. She missed every small hotel room we left, and as the months went on, the harder it was for her to leave. It felt as though I was getting hurt, everytime she cried." Klaus replied.

"I know what you mean. As soon as Josie woke up on the way to New Orleans she started crying, she didn't understand why we had to left Mystic Falls." Caroline said.

"Well I am glad she has come around. Seeing her smile at the beauty of the city is one of the wonders I can't quite get over." He replied. Caroline looked at Klaus with a grin and they stopped in the middle of the trail. She took his face and they kissed softly, his hands going to her waist.

A group of trekkers passed them, and a woman could hardly contain her disgust at a happy couple. She quickly rejoined her group before Caroline and Klaus glanced at her, Caroline looking back at Klaus with a giggle and kissing him one more time. Klaus kissed her back, not quite done with her mouth and pulled her closer.

A strong humming of wings broke their liplock as a hummingbird flew down to see them. They both stared at the little bird, who regarded them thoughtfully then flew off. Caroline grinned back at Klaus and she kissed him one last time, gripping him hard. When she pulled away, Klaus gave her a look of surprise and then they started on their journey again.

"What was that one for?" He asked. She smiled back at him and he slipped his arm between her and her backpack.

"You told me about when you met hummingbird on your trek here last time. The time you thought about being human." She replied. He couldn't help a grin spreading over his face.

"You remember." He said and she put her head on his shoulder briefly.

"Yeah. And this time, I heard the hummingbird's heartbeat, just like you said. And I got to have this moment with you." Caroline said. He grinned and they kissed one more time as they walked, enjoying the rest of their trek.


	8. Do Not Speak Her Name

**Okay guys sorry I've been uploading things that are screwed up with code; I don't know why my computer is against me all of the sudden... This is only a bit different. I wanted to change it but I'm not sure what can be done with it tbh**

This is what I wanted to have happen 3x14 when Klaus and Elijah were trapped with Tristan and Aurora. No mention of Cami whatsoever. And I had asked for another person to write this, but I'm a perfectionist and they haven't seen TO as much as I have, so I finally got the motivation to write my own. It might be a little bit off, as I didn't want to get into the whole 'Klaus used to be completely in love with Aurora until she broke his heart, again'. I know Aurora still has a hold over Klaus, but I wanted it to break when she dropped his last love's name. So, enjoy!

* * *

Klaus walked towards the swords on display. The katanas, wrapped in leather. Possibly these objects were what represented him in this place?  
In a second, Aurora had the blade of a katana against his neck.  
"Oh dear, perhaps I'm getting closer to what represents me in here." Klaus prompted.  
"Oh you mean the swords?" Aurora asked with a smile, and Klaus looked away with his eyebrows raised, knowing she would love nothing more than prove him wrong. She gave a short laugh. "Hardly, darling." Aurora said with a grin. Klaus looked back to her with a small smile. "Although apart from a superb piece of art and a broken relic I suppose you would have to choose the swords, wouldn't you?" She asked rhetorically. "Firmly out of denial." She added. Without pause Klaus moved away from the sword and took the handle, his hand over hers and held the blade to her neck, her back to his front.  
"Maybe we can't hurt eachother in here, but when I'm free…I'm going to cut you in half." Klaus murmured to her. He hoped that threat would silence her.  
"How is Caroline?" Aurora asked, prompting Klaus to push her away with every ounce of his strength, his eyes widening. "Who says we can't hurt eachother in here?" She asked. Klaus felt afraid, even more so than before. And now, not just for himself or Elijah. He had seen what Aurora did to a woman he tried to love. What the hell would she do to the one he did?  
"Who is that?" Klaus asked, failing miserably to look uninterested. Aurora saw this and chuckled.  
"Come now darling, you couldn't hide her forever." She replied. Klaus sighed and closed his eyes, bowing his head.  
"Who told you her name?" Klaus asked in a low voice. Aurora's smile faded slightly.  
"Lucien and Tristan have more contacts than you realize." She told him, starting to pace about. "Tristan learned of your visits to a quaint little town called Mystic Falls. Lucien was more interested in the fact that none of the people you know in that place is human. Well, not completely human. Unfortunately this, Caroline...isn't human. But rest assured, I will find a way to hurt her. She will suffer far worse than Cami. And why?" Aurora breathed, coming closer to Klaus. "You feel more for this little girl than you can for a 'brave' little human."  
"I will rip your heart from your chest before you leave this city." Klaus snarled. Elijah looked up in surprise at his brother. Aurora had not died as of yet, but possibly this was enough incentive.  
"Then I'll send one of my sired to go after her." Aurora said with a shrug. Klaus watched her. "She will not be safe, Nik. I can promise you that." Aurora replied. Klaus glared hard at her. She came closer to him and searched his face. Then she flew across the room as he pushed her again.  
"Keep away from me!" He roared. Aurora looked around and picked herself up out of the ripped and broken artwork. Her eyes fell on Niklaus who turned, worriedly running his hand through his hair.  
"Wait a minute." Aurora breathed, and Klaus refused to turn around to meet her eye. "You might've tried to shield your look of panic from me, Nik. But I know you. You…you honestly care deeply for this girl." He spun around to meet her eyes, unable to shield the panic from his eyes, his heartbeat racing.  
"Yes, I do. But she does not." He replied desperately. Aurora gave a dubious look.  
"Why would you hold onto the hope of love for so long if you did not think she could care for you?" She asked suspiciously. Klaus shrugged  
"What can I say; she's the best person that I have ever met. I couldn't help but keep hoping." He replied. Telling Aurora anything more would jeopardize Caroline, Stefan, and possibly anyone in Mystic Falls or Dallas. Aurora blinked and he could see the shine of her tears through the magically sunlit window.  
"There, you see, who says we can't hurt eachother in here, beautiful, Aurora." Klaus taunted her, reaching out to run a finger through her hair. It sickened him how quickly she leaned into his touch. As much as it made him feel loved. He grabbed her hair and pulled her toward him. She gasped, looking up in his emotionless eyes.  
"You will either leave her alone, or you will learn that I have a whole arsenal left, with which to hurt you." He threatened with a hiss. Aurora slapped his hand away and backed away.  
"I can still kill her, Nik." Aurora snarled. "Leaving you with nothing but a memory. And centuries to move on. Tell me, how long did it take for you to do so?" She asked him. Now he felt nothing but rage. He gripped her throat and lifted her off the ground, turning to Elijah.  
"I think keeping her secured in some locked box would suffice. Until we get out of here and she is given the punishment she deserves." Klaus said. Aurora gripped his arm with both hands but he gripped her hands in reply, dropping her to the ground and hearing the swift crack of her wrist bones as he forced her hands behind her back. She cried out and Tristan tried to go to her, but Elijah held him back by a hand to his throat.  
"I couldn't agree more. Perhaps no one will be able to hear her maniacal rants." Elijah replied. Klaus glanced at him and they found a box big enough to Aurora to fit in. But not big enough for her to move around in. All they had to do now was watch Tristan.  
"You need to find Tristan's box." Klaus told Elijah.  
"Klaus, the most danger he poses is his loyal sister, everyone else has turned on him. Miss Forbes is safe." He said.  
"How do you know? There could still be a loyal Strix member, or someone else they could be using. If both the de Martel siblings are still alive, she will not be safe." Klaus said hurriedly. Elijah took him in. Did he care more about Miss Forbes' safety than getting revenge for Rebekah's sake? This was not a discussion for now, but it would be brought up later.  
"We will keep your amour safe, brother. Trust me." Elijah replied. Klaus paced and ran his hand through his hair again.  
With Tristan under guard, all that was left was to wait to be saved. Luckily Freya had known what to do, and if this was not a time he'd ever felt grateful for a resourceful sister, Klaus didn't know when would be. Soon enough he tracked Aurora down. It didn't take long for her to build a wall against him, but in the aftermath of Klaus's sireline breaking, Kol came back. And was more than happy to do a little torturing.  
Tristan had no one. Aurora was cut off from her sired and couldn't send them to torture Caroline.  
That was all the incentive Klaus needed to keep her from doing one of the few things he was more scared of than losing his own life.  
Aurora was dead by the end of the day.


	9. Change in the Wind

_I feel a change in the wind says I._

I don't know why I labeled this with the first four words, but I love saying Mr. Gibbs' words.

* * *

Caroline turned around, letting Elijah go about his business, and caught Klaus's eye. God, he looked so different. But…he was still the same. And everything that had happened between them was still there. She walked toward him and Klaus stayed in the doorway on the other side of the room. Caroline could tell from the look in his eye how conflicted and angst-ridden he was. But everything was just fine, whatever he was trying to accomplish with his family, he had. Still, she knew what he wanted. And she knew she couldn't give it to him.

Klaus watched Caroline come towards him and noticed how her eyes were going from his to the floor. Her hands were clasped, and somehow she seemed like she thought she was out of place. While looking in his eye again and reading what he was thinking. He wanted to smile, to flirt, to touch her. But nothing was right, the timing…was wrong. How in the bloody hell was it wrong?

Then he saw it. The slight flicker in her eye as she looked down, to the window. She didn't want to be here. It wasn't him…but it was.

"Caroline." Was all he said, and it drew her eyes back up to his, her lips ready and waiting to say something. Like she was standing on trial. He couldn't ask what though. "How have you liked being in my city so far?" Klaus asked with a small smile. Caroline grinned and looked away.

"I liked it, it was fun. Apart from the murderous vampires who caught onto your trail and soon as we entered the bar." She teased him. It was Klaus's turn to look away.

"I cannot help that some believe they can kill me. It doesn't matter how old the man is, his I.Q doesn't seem to get any higher." He replied, prompting another smile. As he smiled back, he reached out to touch her face with the side of his hand. Caroline looked away and caught his wrist at the sleeve before he could remember how soft her skin was. But her grip was firm as he looked at her face and found she couldn't look at him.

"What happened today?" He asked her. She gave him a look.

"You know what."

"Besides all the murder and drama that unfolded, what happened?" Klaus asked, Caroline dropping her hold on him and his hands went to his sides.

"I almost, kissed you." Caroline told him, giving him a look while she stared at him that this was not something he could tease her about. He tried to say something but failed and his stance fell.

"That's a bad thing?" He prompted, catching her eye again. Caroline looked down and tried to keep herself in check.

"I'm getting married, to Rick." She replied. Klaus's demeanor dropped and she could see he was seconds away from a meltdown. "I shouldn't have told you, I'm sorry."

"You're still not ready." Klaus said in angst and Caroline's hands went to his face.

"But I will be." Caroline promised. He had so many responses to that but he chose to remain silent. "Look, I didn't ever think I'd be coming here, Klaus." She confessed. His eyes searched hers in a panic. "Not like, this, I mean." She added. "If I were going to be here, I'd be with you. You'd be the guy I was getting married to." Caroline said. He couldn't help but smile at the thought. "But I can't be unfaithful to my fiancé, even if he knows I don't love him." She explained. "I can't do this to you."

Klaus's hands hesitantly went up and took Caroline's elbows as her hands rested on his collarbone.

"Whatever you decide to do, love," He replied, trailing a finger up her arm "I'm behind you all the way." Caroline's face turned to one of anguish, and without a thought she gripped his face and pulled him in to kiss him. His grip on her arms tightened to regain his balance, and Klaus kissed her back. He knew this was the only kiss he'd receive from her for a long time. But it was enough.

She pulled away and with his head still in her hands, her eyes widened.

"No one will find out." He promised her in a calm voice.

"And this is the last we're doing for a while." She replied. Klaus nodded, his full hand giving her arm one last caress before letting both of his hands drop. Caroline's hands slipped from his body and she took a step back.

"Well then" Klaus prompted, warranting an expectant look from her. "what now?"


	10. Revenge

"Help us finish it, Niklaus." Grace implored, stepping closer. His head wound wasn't healing, he was weak. His dishevelment from the past three weeks, stuck in this position while Lucien toyed with the idea of killing him, hoping for some form of retribution. And so the original hybrid wasn't very intimidating despite his trying. "All we need is a little blood. Heal Hades. Lucien can remake the vampire species, erase the spell. The ancestors are gone, Niklaus."

"I've told you a thousand times, to stop calling me by that name." Klaus growled, and pulled on his restraints to stand before her. Grace took a step back. "You don't even know what it is you're doing. Lucien killed a great number of my loved ones, many of my friends. All to exact revenge for something beyond my control. For you to believe you can trust that delusional moron…" He chuckled and shook his head. When he caught Grace's eye again, he wondered if it was a sound decision all those years ago, to let her go. To let her try and pick at his walls. She was hanging on his every word, the girl was always naïve.

"Unlike you, I will wake up tomorrow, with the love of my very long life." Grace gulped at his threat, trying to pain her pain. "And you know what, Grace?" Klaus's fists curled. "Despite years of enduring the same life you had done, she still has a soul." He hissed. Grace shook her head and walked away.

"I wonder if she will have after I'm done with her." Lucien's voice carried. Klaus scoffed at his remark. As if Lucien knew where Caroline could be. "Or if after sweet little Caroline has been freed, she'll be the same as Grace."

Lucien walked to Klaus and held up the pain dagger, its bone blade glinting in the sun as he admired it. Klaus glared at him. Cami was dead; Lucien had nearly gotten to Elijah. He'd killed Finn. How would he have found Caroline.

"When Aurora revealed her true feelings, unbeknownst to me, I considered turning back the clock. If you know what I mean." Klaus stared at him in surprise. "Oh yes, I had the means to do so." Lucien assured him, and then walked away. "But I realized I should, I should thank you. For lifting the veil from my doubting eyes."

Lucien withdrew his phone and brought up a video on it, then flipped it to play the video to Klaus.

It was Caroline. Klaus felt paralyzed, only able to see Caroline strapped in a chair, panting after whatever the hell the two captors about her had done. She was bloody. Weak; weak enough to not heal as well. Her hair sweaty, she closed her eyes.

"Just to inform you, I've destroyed the spell; only the witches and their bloodlines that helped me know how to recreate it and there's no possible way, you're getting your hands on them." Lucien told him. Caroline screamed in the video and Klaus flinched, closing his eyes and looking away. "I don't know if you can tell, but right now Caroline is on the brink of desiccation." Lucien informed him. Klaus glanced at him and then back to Caroline, feeling as though the pain she had to endure right then was his. "But with the toxins, that the poor dear has been injected with, she may not survive such a transition. And if she doesn't, well. I must say in the history of vampirism, I don't believe one soul has passed in such a way." Klaus closed his eyes, his fists tightening. He looked to Lucien.

"Was Aurora's rejection of your stale feelings really that much of a surprise?!" Klaus exclaimed, pulling at his restraints "Would you not take your suffering out on me when Caroline had nothing to do with this!?"

"No, I'm not taking my suffering out upon you, Klaus." Lucien replied, smiling. He walked up to Klaus again. "And I rather think this Caroline is playing with your feelings as much as everyone around her seemed to think so." Klaus's eyes widened at his last note. "I didn't have to hunt for Caroline, Nik. I merely, rung her quaint little doorbell, convinced her I was in need of assistance, let her fiancé tend to the children that she apparently is now mothering. Another couple of children entering your life, Nik? Or were you expecting her to leave all she had behind to come and cater to your whims as you had us do for so long, being the decoys that led your father on a wild goose chase after us?!"

"I do not care, for your hurt feelings, Lucien." Klaus hissed, touching noses with Lucien as he stood again. "All I seem to see now is red. But that will soon pass. Once your monster heart is in my hands, and your lovely assistant Grace is dead right along with you." He said, and chuckled. "Perhaps I'll make her watch your death." His eyes shifted to Grace who looked down and clutched at the collar of her shirt, looking petrified. "All you have to do now, is turn your spite and hatred, toward me. Let Caroline go. Whatever methods you have planned for her, you can unleash upon me." He looked back to Lucien, and the violent light in his eyes disappeared, his evil smirk vanishing from his face.

"You honestly believe I need your permission?" Lucien exclaimed. "That I cannot see what you are trying to do?" Klaus looked away, and set himself still. Lucien went away with a shake of his head, and Grace soon scurried after him, leaving Klaus to his reeling mind, trying to figure out what he was going to do next.


	11. Finally Found

Klaus stepped out of his cabin, cleaning his hands on a dirty washcloth. The state of living he'd be subjected to, honestly. He couldn't live like he did before. If Marcel could find him there was no doubt he would kill him. And Elijah and Hayley had gone into hiding somewhere else; he wasn't allowed to know where. Marcel was his son. His blood. And perhaps he had this day coming. But there was no way the former king of New Orleans would not take back his throne.

As he traveled back to the cabin where he lived alone, he saw a figure racing. Marcel had found him. Why was he hunting him, he'd promised Rebekah he'd let them live. God the irony of that statement. Klaus crouched behind the closest tree and waited for the figure to reappear again. It stopped, but it wasn't the kind of person he'd expected to see.

It was Caroline.

Klaus came out from behind the tree and stood there, wide-eyed, before her. The beautiful blonde who looked so angry at him he actually would've welcomed Marcel's vengeance.

"How did you find me, love?" Klaus asked.

"Does it matter?" Caroline bit out, crossing her arms.

"Actually it does, because if you can find me a certain old friend of mine most certainly will jump on the opportunity to end me." Klaus replied. Caroline huffed

"Let's make a deal." She snarled. "I'll tell you how I found you if you tell me why you made it so damn hard to do." Klaus raised his head, his eyes wide, and nodded. He gestured behind him.

"Shall we walk?" He asked. Caroline's glare neared him and Klaus felt the need to step aside more than necessary as she breezed by him.

Klaus caught up with her when they were half a mile from the cabin.

"This isn't a walk, it's a sprint." Klaus muttered.

"Yeah, it is a sprint" Caroline snapped, spinning to face him as she stopped, Klaus needing to steady himself to avoid crashing into her "and you know why? You promised I could show up at your damn door, without bothering to mention, 'oh by the way, I might not be there!'"

"Well you promised to let me explain but all you're doing is running from me." Klaus protested

"Because I don't want to hear another lame excuse. Not from you, not from anyone." Caroline stepped closer to him. "I am sick of people trying to justify their actions when they're just made for selfish reasons."

"And you think that's why I left, without leaving you a word or telling you how to find me, because I was backing out of my promise?!" Klaus yelled

"Then tell me what happened!" Caroline yelled back, gritting her teeth. Klaus huffed and gestured again, this time breezing past her. She looked after him and charged forward, catching up to him.

"With all the running, I never got a chance to check up on you. What's been going on in your quaint little Houston?" Klaus asked

"I was engaged to Alaric, broke it off with him and then got back together with Stefan." Caroline replied in a rush, ignoring the hybrid's wide eyes at the beginning of her story. She didn't want to say what had been happening with Bonnie, it all seemed so wrong. So she plowed through her relationship with Stefan. How she finally realized he wasn't ever going to give her the respect she deserved, and high tailed it out of there. But not without leaving a 'don't follow me' wooden plank through his abdomen as a warning. Klaus couldn't hide a laugh at that.

"And what of the siphon twins? Did you keep in touch with them?" He asked. Caroline looked at him.

"You're not going to say how stupid it was to leave them?" She asked in reply. Klaus shrugged.

"I would be lying if I said I wouldn't do the same. Although Hope rarely expects me to tuck her in at night any longer." Klaus said. Caroline caught his eye and he saw the pity on her face. Not the kind of pity that made him less than her. But the kind that made her want to help him.

"So, despite this getting off to a bad start, I did come here for a reason." Caroline said. Klaus gave her a raised eyebrow in reply. She turned around and started walking backwards in front of him.

"I want your confession." Caroline said with a smile. Klaus returned it.

"And what confession would that be?" He replied

"The one where you say you need me. And that you were a total jerk not to tell me you weren't in the place you said you'd be if I ever wanted to 'turn up at your door', as you put it." Caroline said, and stopped walking. Klaus bowed his head and smiled slightly. "Because despite what you could've thought, I needed your help, and you weren't there. I couldn't find you. How pathetic was that?" She added, trying not to let him see the tears springing to her eyes at the memory of what happened. Klaus stepped toward her and she backed away. Her eyes landed hard on him and he looked at her as if she'd slapped him.

"You do not get to do anything, until you tell me why." Caroline ordered. Klaus nodded.

"I'm sorry, love. I'm really...sorry. I felt that if you knew where I was, you'd be in more danger. And over the past five years, I've lost too much to bear losing another person I care about." Klaus replied. She chuckled darkly and kept smiling.

"You were just fine telling me where you'd be when you wanted me before." She snapped.

"That was when I believed myself to always be the most powerful creature on the planet." Klaus protested, switching his stance. "If I could protect you from whoever it was and win, effectively securing your life once more, I would welcome the chance to be with you." Klaus chuckled "I'd take the chance in a heartbeat. But knowing there is someone out there who's more powerful, stronger, and more invincible than I am, made it impossible for me to believe I should seek you out." He cried.

"It wasn't your decision to make!" Caroline yelled back, stepping closer. "I could've handled myself better than you think! It's not always been you saving my life and me owing you, it's always been both ways! Whoever you pissed off might hate you but that doesn't mean they'd hate me!" She protested in return. Klaus closed his mouth and stared at her.

"You're right." He replied, trying to hold back a chuckle. Of all the people he'd be surprised at saying that to; he should've known it would never have been Caroline. "You're right; I shouldn't have made that decision on my own." Klaus said. He stepped closer to her, and let out a breath of relief when she didn't back away again. Klaus took her shoulders and kept her eyes. "I promise I will never do so again." She put one hand up to cup the side of his face and smiled at him.

"Thank you." She replied. Klaus smiled in return and wondered what she'd do next. Caroline pulled away and started back towards the cabin.


	12. You Found Me

I haven't watched the finale quite yet because tbh I am just not ready to watch my boy be put down, so the scenery description might be a little off the mark.

 **This drabble has turned into a fanfic. There are two more chapters, which are on my page in a different fanfic, same title.**

* * *

The first things he heard were footsteps on cold, rough marble. They wandered for a bit. He wondered if the person knew if he was there, if he was what they were looking for.

Five years. He was painfully aware of the time that had gone by. Five years of his siblings being so near death, five years of Hayley being on the run with Hope. Five years of his little girl growing up without a father.

Bricks began to fall, the dirt in-between them falling towards and onto him as he stood in wait. Was this a foe to come rip out his heart? Or family, come to save him and the rest of his siblings at last.

Five years without Hope having any man in her life to call a father figure. Oh God, what would she look like now, what would she be like? Would Hope know him, had Hayley told her of him? Did Hope remember him? Elijah or Rebekah or Freya…of course she did. Hayley would be keeping their memories as well as his alive. The times he and Hayley fought over Hope were past them, and when he got out of here, he'd see Hope again, and his family would reunite soon after if that's the way it had to play out.

The bricks began to fall in multitudes and a huff erupted from someone's mouth. Then he caught sight of light blonde hair, nearly white in the sun catching it. It waved and fell as she pushed and pulled at the bricks, then she threw them down if they were stuck.

Caroline.

Five years without being able to contact her, even though he knew he wouldn't be allowed. Five years without her being able to find him. Oh God what if she'd tried to...he'd replayed their moments I his mind when he felt hopeless for his family. When he thought he'd be left there for all eternity. When he just plain thought of her. If there was one thing Klaus missed more than their kisses in the forest, it was her smile. Her smile would stand out in his family of drama and macabre, her optimism would cheer them up. Her fire and bravery would make them believe she was worthy to be a part of the family.

A small huff escaped her lips and Klaus could only lie in wait, feeling as shocked as he was paralyzed. But seeing this blonde beauty he'd thought of for so long finally before him...

The sight of her teal eyes caught him and for once, instead of the beat of his heart spreading the pain, he felt much better. His fingers twitched, he gained more control over his body. He knew soon he would have the strength to pull the dagger from his chest, and Caroline's concerned, frightened eyes stayed on his. Klaus breathed a laugh, a slight twitch to his mouth in a smile.

It was her. It was truly her.

The rest of the bricks fell and Klaus found the strength to push off the wall he had been laid against.

He didn't have his balance back yet. He fell right into Caroline's arms and felt her arms wrap around him, trying to hold him up even with his weight being too much.

She turned, gripping his body still without dropping him and he clutched her in his hands. She stood in wait.

"Hayley!" Caroline called impatiently. His eyes grew wide. Had she brought Hope? Hayley rushed into view and came to his other side, gripping his body as well and slinging his other arm around her neck.

"Where Hope?" Klaus managed in a low groan, the pain sending shockwaves throughout although he was trying not to think of it.

"Daddy?" A small voice asked. Klaus laughed another smile and gripped both of the women holding him up tighter. A small face came into view. But bigger than he remembered. More beautiful than he could've imagined. The little girl stood before her father, her arms out at her sides, shaking slightly. He smiled at his daughter again.

"Hope" He replied, and tried to stand. Caroline gripped him tighter. Hayley did the same but Klaus couldn't find his footing. Hope's eyes went from his to Hayley.

"The door's still open." She said. Klaus looked at Hayley and she nodded.

"Alright, let's get your father to safety." Hayley replied. Klaus turned to Caroline and found her eyes were already on his. She smiled and looked like she was close to tears. Hayley tried to move them but stopped, Hope joined in watching the reunion.

"All this time, and you were trapped in a cemetery when I was trying to find you." She said her voice breaking. He smiled at her.

"If it's any consolation I didn't break my promise." Klaus replied. Caroline smiled again and looked at Hayley and Hope.

"Let's get him out of here." Caroline said.


	13. Klaus Mikaelson?

Okay this is inspired by the flash forward when Caroline came to Nola with her twins the first time, and hearing her say his name. I imagined it that those wooden doors that would close off a part of the adjacent room were closed and Klaus was standing behind them when she came in.

* * *

Klaus Mikaelson.

It's his new name, rebirthed and shortened

Niklaus is a memory of a bright boy, young and reckless,

Passionate and spirited and yet so good.

Niklaus was a good memory.

But as he hears her say his name in the commanding tone

He longs to hear it again.

Long has he waited for this day to come

He knew it would, as he knew her like the back of his hand

They are like sides to a mirror, neither one backs down nor blinks

Their movements are the same yet in different times

If she had lived the day he had, when he forced his sister to drink the blood

If she had lived the day he had to run from New Orleans

She would've seen the likeness of them both.

He is stuck behind the wooden door in the bar,

Mere inches from reaching out, having her look on his face again

The sunlight would cast a glow upon her

And finally throw some light upon him

As it was doing for her children,

whose vacant expressions told him how much they knew of why they were here.


	14. Aurora Finds Out

**So this fanfiction is on tumblr, but regardless of the fact I did write that fic, the editing on it was just...crap. The team of people who I worked with seemed to be more concerned with quantity than quality, or the lack thereof. So this fic is mine, the other fanfiction is called She Finds Out. The two different versions are out on ye old interweb now, whichever you like better, go for it.**

* * *

"You betray me, after all your promises of love." Aurora protested, Tristan her brother sprawled in the chair beside her, his neck broken.

"I meant to keep those promises! It was you who shattered them when you took Rebekah!" Klaus exclaimed. He grabbed Tristan's chair and pulled himself closer to Aurora, towering over her with his chin tipped high. "Now I have your brother." He stated "Sibling for sibling. I want Rebekah back." He whispered. Aurora gritted her teeth, her eyes full of tears.

"And what about Cami?" she hissed. Klaus's face darkened again and his lip turned up in a snarl. "Who else, praytell, holds your affections apart from me?!" She exclaimed, and clapped her hands onto Klaus's forehead, the hybrid roaring in surprise.

 _A hard, breathtaking face, curly blonde hair._

 _Younger than Klaus, younger than even her._

 _A smile given to him after he told her a story he'd never told anyone._

 _A kiss given to her on the cheek after she had graduated high school._

 _A kiss on the mouth, given to him._

 _What happened after._

She wretched her hands away from his head, Klaus's threatening face had vanished, making way for sheer, bloody panic. Aurora smiled.

"You will regret going up against me, Nik." Aurora whispered, stepping closer to him. Klaus could not help but lose his breath over their proximity, his mouth open, hardly able to keep from looking toward her snarling mouth. She exited in a huff, his eyes upon her disappearing form as always. She knew about Caroline.

"Niklaus, who else did she see?" Elijah asked.

"I shall worry about that, brother. Freya, help Elijah find Rebekah." Klaus replied. Freya gave him an incredulous look.

"You will put one of your many lovers' lives above our sister's?" She protested

"You know she is not just a lover, Freya, and take into account I am trusting you to protect Rebekah from whatever threats come upon her." Klaus replied. Freya smiled and he spun away.

* * *

"You must be Cami." Aurora said with a smile. Camille backed away, looking frightened. This could be someone from Klaus's life, and none of those people were ever nice to her. But she wouldn't use compulsion, Klaus would've told her not to, done something. She trusted Klaus enough now, she didn't need vervain. Aurora put her hand against the frame on the elevator and looked the blonde up and down, smiling again. "Nik and I were just chatting earlier, and I decided, I'd bring you to him as a surprise."

Camille backed away.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Oh, well I'm sorry. It isn't your decision to make, dear." Aurora replied, and stepped forward. She compelled Camille as she shuffled her into the elevator. And she'd found a way to bring this Caroline to New Orleans today. Things were falling into place.

Klaus flung his phone onto a sofa as soon as he walked into his home. His multiple efforts to get Caroline on the phone had all been in vain. His concern was likely excessive – Aurora wouldn't dare do anything to hurt Caroline, nor Camille; she was insane but not stupid or suicidal. And if she harmed so much as a hair on Caroline's head she wouldn't live only long enough to watch him rip out her brother's heart.

When he returned to the compound, he found the place empty. He heard no movements, except a tapping against the ground someplace he couldn't identify. He ripped apart his home, looking for his siblings, any sign at all that they were here. In a rush, he left the parlor and looked down from the balcony. The tapping had stopped. Aurora was smiling up at him from the main room.

No.

"Don't worry Nik, your siblings are fine." Aurora sang.

Two women, both with bags over their heads and tied to chairs. On display facing him.

"I worked with a good little witch, to lock them out for the rest of the week. Whichever way this goes, it will give me all the time I need." She continued. Klaus stood frozen in place, staring between the two women.

Aurora calmly walked over to the right, and ripped the bag off of the woman's head. Caroline. Klaus felt as if his heart had been ripped out already, why hadn't Aurora just done that? And when that blonde's eyes found his, he gripped the balcony railing, jumping from it in one swoop. Klaus looked her over. Her hair disheveled, she wasn't acting too panicked. But then she was no stranger to kidnappings.

"Ah! So you like this one better. I wonder do I even need to reveal who this other woman is?" Aurora asked.

"You say another word and you'll be choking on your own blood, as I will have ripped your tongue from your head." Klaus snarled. Aurora stared at him, drawing an intake of breath.

"Well, if you wish for this little love triangle to continue, unfortunately I have to inform you. You and I both know your last love shall be me. For all eternity. So why don't I kill two birds with one stone." Aurora replied.

"Touch a hair on her head and you will not live another moment." Klaus warned.

"Which one?" Aurora taunted. Klaus glared at her and Aurora ripped the bag off of Cami's head. Caroline glared at Klaus and mumbled something through her gag, making Klaus feel horrible all over again. She was in this situation because of his insane ex. Aurora looked at him.

"Oh I think she wants to say something." Aurora noted, and took the gag from her mouth. Caroline snarled at her, her veins popping to the surface of her face, her fangs protruding. Aurora gasped without meaning to and backed away. Caroline looked back at Klaus.

"I don't know what she did to get herself into this mess," Caroline motioned to Camille "but I for one have no idea why I'm here. You're going to pay when we're done, Klaus." She yelled. Klaus gave her a chiding look and Aurora laughed merrily.

"Well darling, it's no concern of mine whether you're confused. It is Nik's feelings I am anxious to uncover." Aurora said smoothly, smiling. Caroline peeked at Klaus, but her eyes were not full of betrayal as he feared they would be. They were full of determination, and one secret she was threatening him with losing his life if he didn't keep. Help her escape this. He was all she had to work with. Klaus hid any sign of a smile and looked back at Aurora.

"What do you expect to come of this scene, Aurora?" Klaus asked, facing her. "Killing two women that you believe hold a place in my heart, in order to be the only one left there. You honestly believe that the world works that way still."

"Of course it does." Aurora replied simply, moving over to Caroline. "And if you were to swear to me that you love only me and you promise, to remember that from now on and not let your heart wander, I'll simply kill these women, and it'll be no more than an unpleasant memory." Klaus stared at her and shook his head, falling back on his other leg.

"How can I do so when I'm standing by the only woman in this room that I truly have given my heart to." Klaus replied, watching Aurora's reaction. This would no doubt unravel her, she would lose all bearings. One thing Aurora always expected to have was control, if it were not in his or Tristan's hands. And so in the brief moment before insanity ensued again, Caroline bowed her head and let her hair cover her face, smiling.

"How can you be so delusional, Nik?" Aurora whispered, staring at him in betrayal. "When a thousand years ago, our love was the most beautiful flower ever to bloom in both of our lives."

"God does she always talk like this?" Caroline groaned, taking the other side of the stage, letting her head fall back after listening to the redhead.

"Caroline you're underestimating her." Klaus replied, glancing down at her. Now there they were, side by side, performing for Aurora. Her eyes were shifting between the both of them, waiting for a chance to regain her place.

"Maybe I am but then this is the first crazy ex of yours that I've met." She replied, looking up at him.

"Aurora is many things and one of them is murderous, she isn't playing around." Klaus snapped.

"So what, she's putting on a show for you?" Caroline asked. Klaus stared hard at her. She looked away in surprise. "Okay then, definitely crazy."

"One thing I definitely am, dear Caroline, is impatient." Aurora said, starting towards her.

"Don't take another step." Klaus threatened, snarling at her.

"What's the point of threats, my love? We know how this will end." She teased him with a smile. Klaus stared at her. Damn, she was getting the upper hand again.

"Klaus what is going on? Why is your ex is putting me on display?" Camille asked. Klaus breathed a sigh of annoyance, what made her believe she needed to draw attention to herself?

"Yeah, you're not the only one on display." Caroline added, looking at Cami in annoyance.

"The problem currently is obvious, Camille." Klaus snapped. Caroline hoped Camille wouldn't shoot her mouth off again. If she wasn't in the spotlight, she better find a smart way to get out.

"How could you get us kidnapped like this, Klaus?!" Caroline demanded.

"Her brother took Rebekah! I let the hope that she didn't know how to find you take over any precautions that weren't already in place." Caroline glared at him, and was about to reply, when Aurora interrupted.

"Now this really is lovely, chatting up a storm while one of you sits tied up, about to die." Aurora mused. She withdrew a gun, and touched it to Caroline's back, making her stiffen in response. Klaus fought the urge to get in her way.

"I haven't seen her in New Orleans." Aurora noted. "It's quite odd he'd go for someone as young as you. I was born in a time when courting a girl younger than eighteen wasn't frowned upon but now...then I suppose he would enjoy killing whoever opposed the two of you together." Caroline remained silent.

"Tell me, Nik. If this place you call home blew up right now, you survived and you had to carry out one of us, to safety and a happily ever after; which one of us would it be?" She asked. Klaus chuckled to himself and Aurora stared at him in fear.

"You really believe I would save you from so much as a werewolf bite after what you've done?" He asked with a hiss. Aurora caught her breath and regained her bearings

"Then I'll just do away with the sweet, delusional Camille and have done with it." Aurora replied. Aurora pointed the gun at Camille's head and without a thought in Klaus's head, he knocked the gun from her hand, as the bullet exploded from it. He nearly couldn't look towards his therapist, until he saw her body shaking from panting, her eyes wide, and no bullet near her. There was a small hole in the wall behind her now, where the bullet had gone. Klaus closed his eyes and inhaled sharply, calming himself, thankful that he'd stopped it.

"Is this how you would regain my love!?" Klaus exploded. Aurora turned back to him. "Do you wonder why I would be letting the one I love be so far away from me when a spoiled little monster like you is trying to destroy, what little sanity I have left? She chooses to continue leading the life she had before I'd met her. And because I love her, she is safe from my life."

"Was." Caroline noted. Klaus glanced wearily at her. "You know now that I'm not safe from your world." She said.

"I can keep you safe. I've survived this world for centuries, I built this world." Klaus protested.

"That's nice, while I'm still tied up and dealing with your psycho ex!" Caroline snapped.

"Said psycho ex is close enough to you to hurt you, chose your words wisely." He replied

"You don't get to tell me what to do right now; when I get out of here I'm kicking your ass."

Klaus wasn't about to reply as the building shook, and he shot a glance to Aurora, who looked around wildly; the spell used to keep his siblings out must have been broken. Caroline looked around wildly when the shaking ceased.

"What was that?" She asked

"When I said you had to choose between us, Nik, I wasn't joking." Aurora told Klaus, taking steps toward Caroline. Klaus watched her. "I hope you've made peace with your God." She added. Klaus caught Caroline's eye and with one look calmed her fears that Aurora's promises were true. He glanced up to see Elijah withholding his hands from the bars on the gate, staring intently at the scene. Klaus looked at Aurora and back to Elijah. Elijah understood.

Klaus watched Aurora again and saw her unravel. She was losing control, and losing attention. She spun to stare at him.

The scene unfolded so quickly, he felt as he was the only one going in slow motion.

The building shook once more, during which Aurora ran toward Caroline, Klaus threw her across the room. Aurora was closer now to Elijah.

Elijah broke open the bars as the shaking ceased.

He heard a hiss and Caroline came into his peripheral vision, taking no time in using her speed to reach Aurora, who foolishly had underestimated her enough for it to come as a surprise, when she quickly snapped the woman's neck, and let Aurora fall to the floor unceremoniously.

Elijah came into the compound, Freya overtaking him and ready to put down an already unconscious abductor. Without uttering a word, Freya reviewed the scene, and her eyes fell on Klaus. As did Elijah's, after taking in what Caroline had done. Klaus smiled at them and looked at Caroline, who began to calm down, Aurora at her feet. Klaus walked to her and took Caroline's arm gently. Elijah and Freya stood in place as Klaus took Caroline away from the scene, letting her lean on him a little as she began to unravel. Elijah untied Camille and shared a look with Freya before taking her from the compound.

* * *

Caroline stood by the fireplace upstairs, her arms crossed and avoiding Klaus's eyes.

"Are you going to force me to stay here?" She asked, raising her eyes to his. Klaus looked at her as if she slapped him.

"Caroline. You know I won't force you." He replied in shock. She bowed her head again.

"I know. But if you'd said yes it'd give me a reason to hate you." She explained.

"I know being abducted by someone from my past, much less an insane someone, couldn't have been pleasant. But I promise you that you are still free. You are free to return to Mystic Falls if you wish. I know you can take care of yourself. I just want to make sure you're safe. I'll have someone nearby if you get into trouble." He smirked "whether you're the troublemaker or no." Caroline returned his smile and let her arms fall.

"Why did she think that would work?" Caroline thought out loud.

"Her explanation before was quite clear, love. She believed killing the women that held my heart would simply make room for her. I suppose the idea of loving someone and losing them forever, causing that love to become magnified exponentially hadn't occurred to her."

"That's why you left." Caroline joked in realization, making the hybrid chuckle. She walked towards him and stood close to him, staring him in the eye.

"If I leave, are you going to follow me?" She asked. Klaus looked at her in surprise.

"If you wish me not to I won't."

"No protection unless I ask." Caroline made sure

"No protection unless you ask. Although you'd be giving me many sleepless nights as a result." Klaus added, hoping that would change her decision.

"There is another way I could do that" Caroline breathed and lunged at him, kissing him hard. Klaus fell back a few steps then caught her, taking the back of her head and holding her tighter in his arms. He breathed in her taste again, moaning slightly. The reality was so much sweeter than the memory. Caroline kissed him again and flattened her hand against his back, pulling away. He opened his eyes to her as she did to him, their noses almost touching still.

"So you're staying." He breathed, thinking of everything they'd get up to the rest of that night.

"Definitely won't be leaving before you give me some more memories." She replied. Klaus inhaled and pulled away, unable to tear his eyes from her mouth as she stared at him.

"I need to do, one thing first." He said. Caroline watched him.

"Camille." She stated.

"I have to send her away. I tried to before, it didn't work. I'm going to need more than just compulsion this time." He replied.

"What more do you need?" Caroline asked.

"I need the help of a witch." Klaus said with a smile. "I won't be long." He left the room and persuaded Freya to accompany him to Camille's place.

A knock came at the door and Camille went to it, opening the door and turning around.

"Klaus whatever it was that made Aurora think she could take me, I don't want-" She began, then stopped short as she saw Freya.

"Camille, Freya and I have come to say goodbye." Klaus replied. Camille stared at him with a hurt look and he went toward her, moving her to sit down.

"I shouldn't have relied on merely my compulsion to send you away. This time there will be much more in place that will keep you from here."

"I'll find a way back. You don't control me." Camille protested.

"I think you'll find this will change your mind." Klaus replied, already beginning. He turned to Freya and she went around him, standing behind Cami.

"You do not know me. You never have, you never will. Niklaus Mikaelson is a figure you've only heard whispers of, because he would never be with you. He is in love with someone else. You are going to live somewhere far from here. I will not be responsible for your recklessness any longer. There is truly nothing holding you here, and know that if you should ever remember this by any means, that I meant every word." Klaus told her. A tear escaped Camille's eye, and Freya gripped the sides of her head, chanting. This compulsion would stick. No protégé witches, no form of magic would break this compulsion.

Freya met Klaus at the door and turned back to him.

"What if circumstances arise, and Camille becomes a vampire? What will you do then?" She asked him. Klaus walked past her into the hallway.

"That's not my concern." He replied, smiling at his sister. He knew as soon as it was closed Camille would begin packing to leave. He looked on and thought of who was waiting for him at home. With a grin he got there as fast as he could.


	15. You Can't Walk Away From Love

While watching Original Sin for the fifty badillionth time I had a klaroline moment, and because I am obsessed, I wanted to write it out.

I do apologize for the spelling mistakes before, when I reread it some didn't even make sense. But I've finished it now, I hope you will enjoy. :)

* * *

Klaus Mikaelson, the head of a coffee company, had lost it all. He spent his time holed up in his room, not taking any visitors. Not even Elijah. Not even Cami. She had insisted she could help him, but she had no idea what the problem had been. When she had been waiting on Caroline hand and foot, she had not noticed the looks passed between him and his new wife. Learning Caroline had been meant only as a bearer of children, and hearing he did not care to be in love, she had dismissed the competition for the man's heart.

She hadn't watched Caroline and him, slowly falling in love. Hadn't known they'd spent many countless nights making love. She'd been the inspiration behind many parties, the reason he was kinder to his compatriots, and had ceased beating his servants.

But Camille had seen it immediately when Caroline had left one afternoon, not coming back. And with investigation he'd learned she had been known as Meredith to all but him. She was a con woman, and never left her victims alive.

 _Why had he been left alive?_

He tried to follow her trail, but she'd left no such thing. She'd been a ghost who'd stolen all from him. Now he wasn't entirely sure she'd been more than a figment of his imagination.

Drinking became a good idea. The days turned into months without her by his side, and the months turned him drunk and insane.

Until he went out of his room to get a cup of coffee with his head mistress that thought she was making headway. He just thought being sober would give him a clearer plan.

A plan to kill her. Then the ache would go away.

One of his businessmen he'd sent out had come back and told him she had stopped in Spain. Not much else, but he booked a flight there the next hour, and refused to listen to anything anyone had to say on the matter. His business was already down the drain. Without Caroline by his side he didn't think his life would carry on for much longer. Although without knowing where she was he was basically taking a vacation.

Klaus went into a restaurant and the waiter told him all the restaurant provided. Food, drink, music, women. The beautiful women the waiters had gestured to were not in his peripheral vision as he scanned the place, the moment he entered. But he just wanted food. And made the mistake of telling the waiter he had no need of company, because he had a wife. The waiter left him without a word and he was stuck there, watching people go by until he could get a menu.

"If I got my coffee before I got ready, I would be very happy, it would change the day." He overhead. Carefully he turned and looked behind him.

There she was.

" _I would be very happy...it would change the day._ " He'd heard those words one of the first days they were married, before they had consummated their marriage. Caroline had come in with coffee and made it before him, pouring in creamer although he took it black. When she'd handed it to him it tasted wonderful. He'd started taking creamer in his coffee from then on.

The same waiter came by, menu in hand. Klaus caught his wrist before the man passed.

"Excuse me; I thought I saw someone I know." He began. He gestured towards Caroline.

"The blonde woman on the arm of the rich man?" The waiter asked. Klaus nodded, faking innocence. If he showed his jealousy the waiter would scurry off. "That is Miss Meredith, fiancé of Count Jirah."

"F-fiancé?" He replied, surprised.

"Yes sir, have you not heard the news? Jirah has swept the young lady off of her feet." The waiter replied, acting as if he cherished the upcoming union. Klaus felt an urge to put his hands around the man's neck.

"Thank you very much sir, I'll take another minute to decide." Klaus replied, gritting his teeth. The waiter left, oblivious to the sudden change in body language, and after deliberating how he'd depart, Klaus did so, going to his room to get his gun.

He learned what room Caroline was staying in and was thankful the clerk did not include the Count's name in the information given. Caroline was living there alone. Possibly. He knocked at the door to the room and held his gun inside his jacket. If Caroline was inside he'd merely point it at her, she wouldn't protest. But no one answered. When he opened the door, he made sure no one was around, and then hid in the closet. Caroline and Count Jirah came to the room not five minutes later. He gritted his teeth as Jirah ran his hands over his wife. Caroline seemed uninterested though. She talked about his finances until Jirah decided the next morning she would be more agreeable. He left without complaint from his fiancé and Klaus waited another few minutes until Caroline was dressed for bed, and reading under the covers.

The doors to her closet opened and she did not notice until he appeared at the foot of her bed.

Luckily she didn't scream, regardless of the gun she saw at his side. She merely jumped with a small gasp, her eyes locked on his.

"It's only me, Caroline." Klaus greeted with a growl. "You haven't forgotten me, have you?" He mocked her. Caroline's glare reached him and he went around to the side of her bed. "What is that you're reading?" He asked

"Just something to quiet my mind." She replied in the same low tone he was using.

"Mm, quieting the mind." Klaus mused, turning away. "Is that what the men in your life are for? Quieting the mind, until you have drained every last penny from their pretty bank accounts..." He came back to her and gripped her chin tightly in his hand. "Is that what Count Jirah is for?" Caroline looked at him.

"Jirah, yes. You...no." She replied.

"Heh. Liar..." Klaus said, throwing her chin away, walking around her bed. He raised his hand and pointed the gun at her. Caroline sat up, staring him point-blank in the eye.

"You're here to kill me." She noted.

"That I am." He agreed, and walked closer to her. Her eyes never left his.

"Alright, do it." She replied. Klaus by her bedside, she turned to him. "You know where to aim. Your money's gone."

"Gone." Klaus said with a grin "Just like any notion that you were ever my wife."

"I am still your wife." Caroline replied calmly.

"No you're not." He growled. "I waited for my wife to come back to me. For months on end. You know what I ended up doing?" He walked away from her to the foot of the bed, pacing back and forth. "I stayed in my room for the past eighteen months, Caroline. I waited for some sign you might've come back. All I received was silence."

"I would've come back-" Caroline protested. Klaus looked at her.

"If what?!" He roared

"If I thought you'd take me back." She replied. "I missed you too." Tears streamed down her face and he sighed in defeat. "I didn't think you'd take me back, Klaus, so I ran. I didn't know...until someone came here and saw me, and then ran off." She said. Klaus gave her a look.

"You knew it was one of my men?" He asked.

"Yes. But I still thought even if you knew where I was..."

"That I would never forgive you for humiliating me? Yes, you're quite right about that." Klaus replied. Such lies had never been uttered from his mouth. He immediately cast down his eyes, refusing to apologize. Caroline blinked at him.

"I was going to say, even if you knew where I was you wouldn't come for me. You wouldn't try to contact me, because you thought I didn't want you anymore." She said quietly.

Instantly his heart ached. How could he stay angry at his beautiful wife while she sobbed before him, knowing he was the reason for her tears? Yelling in frustration, he stalked the room, coming in fast and pointing the gun at her head again.

"This conning job is all I've ever known." She sobbed. "It's all I have to survive on. But then I met you. I didn't want to take your money, I didn't want to deceive but you…"

"WHY NOT?!" He thundered, gun shaking in his hand, the tip against her skull.

"Because! Damn it I was falling in love with my own husband." She replied, regaining her breath. He grabbed her hair and flung her from the bed, the sheets flying in all different directions, Caroline falling to her knees, her head bowed. Klaus went to his knees before her and grabbed her shoulders.

"WHORE! LIAR! THIEF!" Klaus thundered.

"YES! YES YES?!" She screamed back in anger

"CAN'T YOU SEE? I CANNOT BREATHE WITHOUT YOU! I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT YOU! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT?! CAN'T YOU SEE HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU" Klaus roared. His anger dissipated like fog. His anxiety lessened, his mind cleared. He'd hurt her. He hurt Caroline.

"I'm sorry!" She cried, tears falling again. He scooted closer to her and gently picked her chin up with one finger, looking in her eyes. She had a look of defiance in her eye, just as she always did. Defiance and acceptance. He looked her over, making sure he hadn't left bruises, combing through her hair and burying his hand in it, kissing her head and embracing her. Caroline held onto him as well, letting her silent tears flow until enough kisses had made her forget why she had been crying.

It didn't take long for them to remember eachother by every inch. As if eighteen months hadn't passed between them.

The morning came and Klaus was swaddled under the Spanish cotton blankets, Caroline behind him. She had her chin buried in his neck, leaving little pecks along his skin, smiling as he turned to her.

"Will Jirah return this morning?" Klaus murmured, turning and embracing her, burying his face in her neck. Caroline grinned.

"Of course he will, he's under the impression we're engaged." She replied. Klaus pulled back and Caroline's expression turned to concern, her smile fading slightly.

"If I hadn't come, would you have married him as well?" Klaus asked. She gave him a look.

"Klaus, I said I do this to survive. I would have married him, but I would never have loved him. He is beneath me." She replied.

"He certainly hopes to be." He grumbled.

"Don't be jealous. When he comes today, I'll set him straight. He'll walk off, tail between his legs, and you and I will be home free." Caroline said. Klaus nodded silently. Caroline studied him and kissed his cheek. His eyes lifted to hers and she kissed the corner of his mouth. Klaus pulled her in again and they began to kiss more, almost hiding under the covers, until a knock came to the door. Klaus turned toward the door and glared at it, as if that would drive Jirah away.

"It's Jirah, my angel. Are you awake? Don't hurry. It gives me the greatest pleasure to wait outside your door. Unless of course, you were to let me in." He greeted in a sultry manner. Klaus ground his jaw and glanced at Caroline, who was slightly annoyed. Klaus leapt from the bed, and walked to the door, having not drawn anything across his hips, he opened the door with a curt tug and found Count Jirah on his knee, having been staring through the keyhole. Jirah's jaw dropped.

"Good morning." Klaus greeted with a smug smile. Jirah looked away, his eyes wide and couldn't move for a moment.

"You are not dressed, sir" Jirah stammered, wavering in his stance.

"No, it appears I'm not." Klaus replied, then leaning toward the man. "I am engaged in private function. A function for which clothes are more of a hindrance than a help." He stood upright again and Jirah found his footing. "But none of that, please, come in." Klaus said, gesturing into the room.

"No sir, are you mad?!" Jirah exclaimed.

"Mad? No. I am merely curious as to your business at my wife's door." Klaus growled. Count Jirah's blanched expression turned to sadness. He relished in the small light in those beady eyes snuffing out like a candle.

"Wife?...Did you say….wife?" Jirah asked in a small voice. Caroline came to stand before Jirah as well, and Klaus thanked whatever god there was she didn't feel the need to be naked before him. Jirah's deadened eyes pierced through Caroline's and she smiled innocently at him.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir." Jirah said, turning back to Klaus, whose dark expression hadn't wavered. "I didn't know." He added in a hurt tone. Caroline fought the urge to roll her eyes. Jirah left them, shaking slightly, and Klaus turned to Caroline who was hanging on his shoulder.

"You see?" Klaus said to her. Caroline gave him a look. "The past is gone. The future is ours to shape." Caroline smiled and he closed the door.


	16. This is Why

**Tabithatvd - thank you for your wonderful comment! I appreciate what you said, truly. And this might get a sequel if I feel this chapter becomes too long or enough others want a sequel. Thank you for asking. :)**

 **And it officially has; there are two other parts after this one. Hope you like it. :)**

* * *

Things were just as different with the Quarter as they'd been the first time Rebekah had dropped in, worrying about Elijah's well-being. Only it seemed like things were darker. Perhaps they were, given the world they'd built for centuries had turned against them only five years ago. Nik had been rescued, he wouldn't say by whom, and had been a completely different person. Leaving his room silently, slowly, looking everyone hard in the eye as he passed but not addressing a word to them. In fact, Nik hadn't spoken one word since they'd been reunited.

As depressing as it was to have the strongest of them all be a shut-in once again, Rebekah found there were other problems to be addressed, as usual. There was word that a witch was trying to get a message to one of the Mikaelsons, but she couldn't because she'd end up on the wrong side of Marcel's new teeth. Rebekah couldn't go to Marcel and convince him to let the witch through; she was avoiding him at the moment, and knew he'd catch up to her one day and defend himself so well she'd be tempted to forgive him on the spot. But she was not going to make it easy for him.

So Kol was the one to do it. Since they had gotten the antidote for the hybrid bite, he was immune to Marcel's threats. While Kol smuggled the witch through layers and layers of red tape and suspicions, Rebekah expected Nik to have something to say against the decision. He merely sulked away and shut himself in his room. This had to end, but for the life of her she didn't know how to end it. Everyone in the house had tried to talk to him every which way. But no one had gotten through to him. If Hayley hadn't been so busy with Hope whose powers were unimaginably strong, more attention would be on rehabilitating Nik.

But that was a different story.

Kol had gotten the witch to safety and immediately she and Elijah came to the woman, who sat in a chair near the window.

"Are you certain you want to be so near something that could expose you to the people you're hiding from?" Elijah asked. He had aversion to windows since the first day they'd been brought back; a vervain bomb had been thrown through the window he'd stood by. The witch brought her chin up to meet his eyes.

"I've been smuggled through dark alleys and in tinted-windowed cars for the past three weeks. I'm gonna enjoy a little sun." She snapped. Elijah looked at Rebekah in surprise and then turned back to her.

"We understand you wish to give one of us a message, although we've no idea of the context. Who is it you wish to speak to?"

"Klaus Mikaelson." The witch replied boldly without a moment of hesitation.

"Good luck with that darling," Kol said, entering the room and standing beside his siblings. "He won't even talk to us. Now if you know something that'll get him to act like the Nik we all know and love, why don't you just tell one of us and we'll relay the message." He promised, kneeling before her.

The witch considered him.

"If I have your word you will do as you say." She replied. Kol nodded. "And if for any reason I should doubt you I can easily make you do it; truth-telling vampires are hard to come by these days." She added, narrowing her eyes at the three.

"Wonderful, we're talking to a prejudice witch." Rebekah groaned.

"Is there any other kind?" Elijah asked, getting a smile Rebekah had to cover.

"Hey!" Kol snapped, standing up to face them. "This is a chance to bring Nik back, why don't you bring your noses back down to the normal level we all have, and show some understanding." Elijah sighed and looked at the witch.

"Would you like to be out of the sunlight quite yet?" He asked her. The witch looked away

"Not yet." She decided.

"Alright then, since we're pressed for time, why don't you tell us the bloody message." Rebekah said.

"Yes, if you've heard, our brother has a child, Hope. She's a powerful witch, even more powerful than you. She's a loose cannon this week, to put it mildly." Elijah explained.

"Okay. Well someone's looking for Klaus. Someone, it appears, he needs more than you." The witch said.

"Who the bloody hell is that?" Rebekah asked.

"You've met her before, surely you remember." The witch replied. She looked at the others. "You've all met her. Caroline Forbes."

The remembrance of the young vampire who Nik had chosen over saving her sunk in for Rebekah. The shock of hearing the woman's name again confused the others.

"I'm sorry; I don't understand the importance of this Miss Forbes. She was a conquest for Niklaus, that was all." Elijah said. The witch gave him a look.

"If she was really a conquest would I have risked my life to get here?" She replied dryly. "Klaus Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes are in love. And if that man hadn't found a love by the time I found him, he would've died back in Mystic Falls along with all his sired hybrids and vampires." She said.

"I'm sorry, you were in Mystic Falls?" Rebekah asked

"Yes. Possibly you've heard of me, I'm Jossana Matthews." The witch replied. A moment of silence. "Of the Matthews coven your beloved brother massacred."

"That was sixty years ago. You have the appearance of a twenty-year old." Elijah protested. Jossana shrugged.

"Your sister isn't the only one who had a preservation spell put on her."

"Yes but that takes centuries. She was asleep for a hundred years and awake for one day." Elijah said.

"My coven found a better way while Dahlia kept trying to get more power." Jossana explained.

"How?" Kol asked in suspicion

"I believe you wanted to know about this Caroline Forbes? I don't feel telling you about this is necessary. And it won't matter if you stick to your end of the bargain; my preservation only lasts until I fulfill my wish. And that's bringing Niklaus Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes back together."

The Mikaelson siblings stood in silence again, sharing looks.

"Prove it." Elijah said simply. Jossana looked at him in confusion. "Prove my brother and Miss Forbes are in love, and we'll relay the message."

"Or I could just make you do it anyway." She replied, bringing a hand up.

"I wouldn't do that, dear" Kol began with a smile "we own anti-magic chains, which we could put on you. Now are you going to cooperate or am I going to make sure they're uncomfortably tight?" He asked. Jossana's hands fell limp on her lap with a glare. She thrust her hand out towards Elijah, for him to hold. He took it hesitantly and with a jolt something crossed through his mind.

 _Klaus had been trying to get at the doppelganger. She'd been called away, and only now did the Salvatore brothers learn she had been kidnapped by the vampire killer._

 _Klaus stood on the doppelganger's porch, lighter fluid and a burning, rolled-up newspaper in two hands._

 _'_ _Put it out' Stefan ordered._

 _'_ _Come outside and make me.' Klaus taunted. In brief hesitation the young vampire did so._

 _'_ _Elena's not here, Alaric has her and Caroline and is gonna kill them both unless you turn yourself over to him.' Stefan replied matter-of-factly. The two had a staring contest for a moment and Klaus knew Stefan wasn't lying. He threw down both the fluid and the newspaper, sighing in frustration. The three started working on a plan to get the two girls out of Alaric's hands. They conversed with the Bennett witch and had a plan she hadn't cared about. She would follow Klaus to the school and kill him._

 _She was cloaked, and would begin to chant the paralyzation spell as soon as Klaus was in her sight. Caroline came into it first, panting and staring back at the place she'd just run through._

 _Muffled scream, Niklaus's hand covering the blonde vampires' mouth._

 _'_ _It's okay, it's okay it's me.' The blonde turns to look at him and then turns away. 'It's okay, you're safe.' He assures her. Niklaus has to tear his eyes from her face to make sure he can't hear someone._

 _'_ _We'll save Elena. You go straight home, stay inside, do you understand?' He hissed in her ear. He yanked her body to face him, it was clear the blonde had had a vervain gag in her mouth; the corners of it were still red._

 _'_ _do you understand me?' Klaus asked with a deadly serious stare. The blonde stared back at him. She nodded silently._

 _'_ _thank you' she whispered. Klaus' eyes stared harder into hers, they began to soften immediately. Once again, he had to tear himself from her, Caroline left alone again and staring after her rescuer. Within seconds she vanished as well. That was it. In that one moment the hybrid and vampire shared, there had been a spark._

 _She would not kill Klaus Mikaelson after all._

Elijah gasped and looked at Jossana.

"That's your proof? A shared moment in a high school hallway?"

"Not quite, but I can see I'll need to show you every memory I have of them." Jossana replied.

"What did she show you?" Rebekah asked.

"Nikaus had had an opportunity to take the doppelganger, but his plan was foiled by the vampire hunter mother had made, Alaric. He kidnapped Elena and Caroline, and Klaus assisted the Salvatore brothers in rescuing them."

"What was in it for him?" Rebekah asked.

"He was the one to save Caroline." Elijah replied. Rebekah and Kol stared at the witch and she gave them both a smile.

"Do you need more proof?" She asked.

"Yes, I believe I do." Rebekah replied. Jossana frowned at her. "My brother has chosen to save the baby vampire over me once. Besides clearly getting something in return that day, it doesn't appear my brother cares much for Caroline. She was merely a conquest he would do anything to have."

"You've clearly missed a lot, dear." Jossana said. Rebekah gave her a look. She held out her hand to Rebekah, and she took it hesitantly, gasping as Elijah had done.

 _Rebekah was taken through the day Silas had gotten to Klaus. A stake he'd been told was the white oak was shoved in his back and broken off as to keep him from getting it out. Nik had never told them anything. He called Caroline for help, again and again until she gave in, demanding to know what in the hell he wanted._

 _'Used all your bleach' Caroline rushed into the room right after Nik got off the phone with Elijah. His eyes fixed upon her while she went past him, wiping her hands of the bleach._

 _'Hey' Nik interjected, taking a huge step out toward her, grabbing her elbow and gently pulling her toward him. Caroline stared at the hand holding her dangerously until he let go. Her eyes went to his in hesitation. 'Thank you,' Nik began 'for helping me.' He stood tall again, letting his hand drop to his side._

 _'Yeah' Caroline replied, as if it were obvious she would help him. Nik merely blinked at her and waited for more. Caroline didn't hold his eyes._ _'Well, if you need anything else,' She began with a grin. Nik's eyes went from hers to her smile, smirking himself. 'Don't call me.' She ordered, pushing the rag with bleach stains into his chest, taking Nik by surprise. 'I have a prom to plan.' She reminded him. Nik looked away as Caroline began to leave the room._

 _'Friends, then?' Nik managed, hesitantly bringing his eyes up to her head again. She slowly turned around._

 _'Are you gonna let Tyler back in town?' She asked in return. Nik gave her a look. Of course he wouldn't be, it was absurd to keep asking. Caroline gave him one in return; why does he want to be friends when he continues not to earn her friendship. She turned around and headed for the door again._

 _'You might've noticed,' Klaus began, and stopped her again. Caroline turned her shoulder. 'I'm not exactly scouring the earth for him, am I?' He asked rhetorically. Caroline left with a smile. She was glad he wasn't trying to kill her love. And as Caroline left with a smile, Klaus looked after her with a smile._

 _That was the happiest Rebekah had seen him in decades._

Rebekah gasped again and looked at Elijah, then to Jossana.

"Nik got injured by Silas and never told us. He wanted Caroline's help the most." She wowed, almost in irritation. Elijah's eyebrow rose and he turned to Jossana.

"How many more memories of Niklaus and Miss Forbes do you have?" He asked.

"I have several. Probably not as many as most couples have, but enough for one to see what their value is." Jossana replied.

"Very well. You shall show them to our sister you spoke of. If she believes the memories are real, then we will convey your message."

"Hang on a minute." Kol interjected. "I can't say I've met Caroline Forbes in person; she was standing in the kitchen over my dead body at one point. But why the bloody hell would Nik be so interested in her?"

"She stood up to him. And not in the way Cami did. She was with someone else, and didn't accept Niklaus's advances." Rebekah said.

"Why didn't he just kill her boyfriend in some way that didn't make her believe he was the culprit?" Kol asked

"Because he wanted her to trust him. I could see in the way he was with her when he rescued her from the vampire killer, he didn't want her to believe she was being kidnapped all over again." Elijah replied.

"Show me another memory." Kol ordered Jossana. She looked at him. "I want to see how this vampire who helped plan my murder is so angelic in the eyes of my big brother." He explained. Jossana looked at the others.

"Perhaps you two should link to your brother." She suggested. They did so and all three gasped.

 _'So there's not one moment, in your whole life, when you wanted to be human?' Caroline quizzed him. Klaus looked back at her with a dubious face. He popped the champagne bottle and they both watched it fly._

 _'How bout you?' He asked. They knew the answer now, as Jossana did. Caroline wished to remain a vampire just as Klaus wanted to remain one. Mother's antics wouldn't have ever worked on him._

 _'Life used to be easier.' Klaus said, beginning to stand up. 'Don't you miss the days of being...'_

 _He made her laugh. She made him laugh._

 _He hadn't laughed with mirth, pure unadulterated mirth for centuries it seemed._

 _They walked back to the place Caroline was in charge of the pageant, walking over a bridge. Somehow Nik had offered his arm to Caroline and she took it, as they climbed over the bridge._

 _Then they reached the point where they would part ways for the moment._

 _'I never answered your question, if I ever thought about being human. Once.' Klaus began. Caroline stared at him, seeming ready to listen. 'I was, on a trek in the Andes, and a hummingbird, flew up to me' Klaus said, gesturing how the hummingbird flew. His eyes shifted around, he was clearly nervous about telling her this story. 'it just hovered there, staring at me. Its tiny heart was pattering like a machine gun.' Klaus said, gesturing to his own heart with wonder. He looked back at Caroline and she was smiling at the reaction, at the imagery of his story. Klaus returned to the memory, still in awe of what had happened. 'And I thought what a thing. You know, to have to work that hard, every day, just to stay alive. Constantly on the verge of death.' Caroline took in his words as if they were now her own. And Klaus began to look elated. The look in his eye was peaceful, he had a certain glow about him. 'And how satisfying everyday must be that it survived.' He added. Caroline's eyes began to regard him as something good. He'd proved himself to her, and to everyone who was watching this play out. 'And that was the only time I thought about being human.' Klaus finished. The moment passed between them and Caroline smiled at his story again. Klaus continued to stare at her for a long while._

The three siblings gasped and looked around at eachother.

"Did you know about that?" Rebekah asked Kol. He shook his head. She turned to Elijah.

"I believe that was kept a secret for a reason, sister." Elijah replied. "He didn't trust us enough with the words."

"He trusted Caroline with something he never shared with us, despite her and her friends trying to kill us so many times." Rebekah said in awe, still replaying the memory.

"If that is to be believed." Freya said, walking in the room. The four turned their eyes to the witch.

"Is Hope asleep?" Rebekah asked.

"No, she merely calmed down, wanted to know what her other aunts and uncles were up to. I'm sure she wouldn't mind sitting in on this...whatever this, is." Freya replied.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea." Jossana interjected. The other turned to her.

"Freya checking to see if your memories are real, or Hope coming in to watch us see what you have seen?" Elijah asked in suspicion.

"If Hope can't see what it is I saw, then I am fine with it." Jossana replied. "Otherwise if she can then I have to decline."

"Is there something in those memories that young children should not see?" Elijah asked.

"Possibly. And I am not one to bring those memories to children if I don't have to." Jossana said.

"Can't argue with that, will she be able to see?" Rebekah asked.

"I honestly don't know. Even as she grows, her powers grow with her; we will do a test. I understand if Hope feels un-included she may lash out again, hopefully she'll grow bored." Freya suggested.

The five went into Freya's spell room and sat down around it. Jossana took the lead while Hayley and Hope came into the room. Freya turned to Hope.

"She is here, let's do the test." Freya said.

"What's she going to do?" Rebekah asked.

"Merely sit and wait. If nothing comes to her we'll know." Freya replied. She turned to Jossana and with everyone's hands joined, the witch closed her eyes.

 _Klaus and Caroline walked along the hill to the bench._

 _Klaus and Caroline walked away from Tyler, and he brought her under his arm so they could begin to dance._

 _Klaus and Caroline's banter in his home, as she asked for a new prom dress. She grinned and so did_ _he_.

The group was let out of the memory as Klaus began to laugh at Caroline's problem again. The group turned to Hope.

"Did you see anything, child?" Freya asked. Hope looked at everyone in confusion and Jossana turned back to the group with a grin.

"What memories do I need to prove are real or false?" Freya asked Jossana. The witch looked at the Mikaelson.

"First could I show you a few others the others have not seen?" Jossana asked in return. Freya considered her.

"Very well. Just know I will still be able to verify their truth or not." She replied. Jossana nodded.

"I know."

"Why are these memories so important?" Freya asked.

"They'll give us Niklaus back; this witch claims through these memories that the girl in them can bring Klaus back to us." Elijah explained. Freya nodded in understanding.

"Alright." She said to Jossana. "I'm ready."

Jossana closed her eyes. As Freya was also a witch, she did not feel the stab the others did.

 _'Caroline!' Klaus called, running across the street after her. She turned around._

 _'Are you serious? Take a hint.' She replied, then spun back around to get on the sidewalk._

 _'Don't be angry, love. We had a little spat. I'm over it already.' Klaus replied with a shrug, still following her._

 _'Oh, well I'm not.' Caroline replied in mock sympathy, looking over her shoulder but not at him. She had ceased walking, the look in her eye being strange. She wanted Klaus to either make a fool of himself or win her over. She was betting on the latter._

 _'How can I acquit myself?' Klaus asked, staring drunkenly at the back of her head and waiting for a response. She sighed and turned around to face him._

 _'You and your expensive jewelry, and your romantic drawings...' Caroline began, taking a breath. The drawing Nik had made for her had affected her somewhat. 'can leave me alone.' She told him, her body language telling him he should quit right now. Klaus stared back at her with hurt written all over his face._

 _'Oh come on.' Klaus pressed, earning another sigh. 'Take a chance, Caroline.' He said. He looked at the bench she had been trying to pass and immediately sat on it. 'Talk to me.' He said. Caroline gave him an excited look with a smile. Klaus outstretched his arms and rested them on the back of the bench 'Come on, get to know me!' He exclaimed, staring up at her. Caroline gave him a dubious look. Had he actually just asked someone to get close to him? Klaus dropped his arms to his sides._

 _'I dare you.' He offered, smiling up at her. Caroline hid the smile that was escaping from her lips and looked away, considering how much trouble she could get in for saying yes, for sitting down next to him. She turned slightly to look at Klaus again and he caught her eye, still staring. His eyes changed, as if trying to catch whatever thought she was thinking._ _Caroline shook her head._

 _'Fine'. She decided with a reluctant tone. She stepped in and turned to put her legs to the bench, then curtly sat down. Klaus scooted closer to her, still staring while Caroline held her head up, looking away from him. She rocked on her legs and looked at him. Klaus's head began to shake and he gave a cocky smirk, she knew he'd won that round. But his continued staring began to unnerve her. She nodded. With another shake of her head, she lifted a hand._

 _'So what do you wanna talk about?' She pushed. Klaus's demeanor changed from cocky to open in a matter of seconds._

 _'I wanna talk about you.' He replied. Caroline looked away again with a laugh and shook her head. Klaus looked away as well, looking down in thought._

 _'Your hopes, your-your dreams...' He offered hopefully. Caroline sighed again and stared at him suspiciously. 'everything you want in life.' He finished in a whisper, a predatory stare on his face as Caroline scoffed and began to laugh with another shake of her head. She turned to him with the smile still on her face._

 _'Just to be clear,' She replied, her head cocked to the side. Klaus' eyebrows raised in surprise. 'I'm too smart to be seduced by you.' She said in condescension._

 _'That's why I like you.' Klaus replied with a smile. Caroline smiled again, trying to see suspicion. But there was none, and so she was left_ speechless.

Jossana opened her eyes and looked at Freya, who was connected still to her siblings.

"Wow." Rebekah said, putting her head back. "Of all the people Klaus chooses to fall in love with it's someone who tried to kill him."

"Loves you still does he not? You did bring father to us." Kol replied. Rebekah yanked on her hand but Kol kept it in a tight grip.

"Was that a true memory?" Elijah asked.

"I believe so. But I need all of Jossana's memories to determine if someone didn't implant them."

"They weren't, I swear." Jossana replied. "The reason I went to find Klaus was to make him pay for what he did to my coven. I was so close to killing him. When Klaus rescued the girl, I saw redemption. My mother wanted me to believe love could redeem, and so I gave the hybrid a chance." Jossana smiled. "He didn't disappoint."

"He's truly in love with that baby vampire?" Kol asked.

"It can't truly be determined until Miss Matthews is thoroughly checked." Elijah replied.

"Hey." Hayley said teasingly. He looked at her and they shared a happy smile.

"Show me more." Freya said instructively. Jossana stared at her as the others joined hands with their sister. She soon closed her eyes after Rebekah and Kol were done quarreling.

* * *

 **this has officially become too long; I was gonna go to 5,000 but that felt like I was pushing it. The sequel will be up shortly. :)**


	17. This is Why and How!

Thank you everyone for your reviews on this drabble, I had the idea a while ago; the people who wanted me to go through with me might not have even found this. I didn't want to keep doing the sequels the same way, You Found Me, You Found Me II, etc. So I changed it. 'How' used to be an exclamation back in I think the roaring twenties (1920s), so there ya go. Enjoy!

I do apologize this is so long, I honestly didn't think it would be. As this has actually gotten too long again I'm going to make this into 3 parts.

* * *

 _'I can feel the splinters...moving towards my heart.' Klaus groaned, his hand resting from clawing at the gaping wound in his back. 'Help me!' He roared, crouched against the armrest of his couch. Caroline stared nonchalantly at her phone in a chair across from him, situated against an armrest with one leg completely resting the seat of the chair._

 _'Your word first.' She droned._

 _'What makes you think I won't simply break my word?' Klaus growled, clawing now at his elbow. Caroline glared at him._

 _'Wanna be friends?' She asked mockingly, then turned to face him, pulling her leg from the seat and resting her elbows on her knees. 'Friendship, stage one: show me that I can trust you.' It was obvious, really._

 _'I saved your life. Twice.' Klaus groaned, spitting out the last word._

 _'Because you put it in danger.' Caroline replied back in a loud tone. 'Twice.' Klaus merely glared at her._

 _'Why can't you just do something decent for once?' Caroline asked in frustration, using her hands to emphasize her point with a humorless smile._

 _'Because Tyler Lockwood tried to kill me!' Klaus cried in pain, his hand shaking. His pain was overtaking his thoughts._

 _'We've all tried to kill you.' Caroline replied in surprise 'And you've tried to kill, most of us' She added, standing up and walking towards him_ _'How do you think that you deserve my friendship when you've done nothing to earn it?' Klaus pushed hard off the couch towards her. Caroline did not back away, her face of anger and frustration stayed so._

 _'I will not have my hand forced by you, or ANYONE ELSE!" He roared, gesturing to prove his point_

 _'What is wrong with you?!" Caroline yelled back, surprising him into silence 'I am reaching out to you despite everything you've done and you still can't get out of your own way, GOD!' She yelled 'I feel sorry for you.' She spat at him, turning away with her eyes still on him until she turned her eyes away as well, finding Klaus was there, not shaking in the slightest, his actions firm._

 _'DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON ME!' He yelled._

 _'I should've turned my back on you ages ago!' Caroline yelled back, thrusting her face into his. She drew in a frightened breath, backing away from him. Her face twisting into sorrow, she was certainly sorry she had said what she did. Klaus did not reply. His snarl disappeared, his stare became less and less aggressive. It became confusion. His stance shifted, looking away. Caroline huffed, trying to tell herself that was truly something she should do. She didn't want to feel sorry for anything she'd said. Her fright disappeared and she waited for him to say what he was thinking._

 _'It's gone.' He murmured. Her face turned to confusion._

 _'What?' She whispered back. Klaus looked at her._

 _'The pain' He emphasized. She began to look frightened again. What did that mean, exactly? Klaus began to reach for his back again, feeling nothing. 'The-the pain is gone.' He clarified. Caroline shook her head slightly. He shut his eyes and waved his hands around._

 _'It was...it was never there.' He realized in anger, his arms dropping to his sides. 'He got in my head' He explained, pointing to his head._

 _'Silas...' He said in awe, looking at Caroline 'got inside my head' Klaus pushed his fingers hard against his skull in fear. The immortal witch was able to do that to everyone; the mere fact Niklaus Mikaelson had been made into a being that couldn't be compelled didn't mean he was exempt from the rest._

 _He sighed in relief, reaching for Caroline's hand and taking it in both of his. Caroline had watched this display of emotion, partly scared he would do something on the account of what she had said. She looked at his hands holding hers. She began to understand. Klaus stared at her in gratitude._

 _'You took my mind off it.' He explained. Caroline's eyes went back up to his in a habitual glare. 'You brought me back, Caroline.' Klaus said again. His eyes reflected just how grateful he had been for what she did. How scared he was that she was do as she had said and turn her back on him. Caroline's eyes went from his past him, trying to hide how affected she was by his stare. When her eyes drifted to his mouth, and traveled back to his eyes, leaning too close to his face, she turned away, slipping her hand out of his. Klaus immediately dropped his hands and Caroline brought her fingers to her forehead. With her hands over her face, He stared after her, the fear of her statement coming in waves. He was almost prepared to persuade her not to leave. When she turned back around, at least he felt he had ground to stand on. To counter whatever it was she would say._

 _'If Silas can make you, of all people, believe that you're dying?' Caroline began shakily. Klaus knew now she wouldn't leave. She wasn't giving up on him. That's all he needed to hear. 'What can he do to the rest of us?' Caroline asked, her face set in listening mode with a new glare._

Freya opened her eyes and so did the rest of the Mikaelsons.

"At least she knows how paranoid Niklaus can become." Elijah noted.

"It's a wonder she stayed after that, that annoyed the hell out of me." Rebekah replied, then slipped her hand out of her brother's to slap it. Kol gave her a hurt look and their hands joined again.

"I need to see all of them, just keep going." Freya instructed. Jossana nodded and she closed her eyes again.

 _'Yes, actually we do' Caroline cut in, her arms draped on Tyler's shoulder, his glare set on Klaus in his twenties' white suit. Klaus's eyes went from hers to his smugly. Caroline stared at Klaus._

 _'No, it's fine.' Tyler replied reluctantly, brushing Caroline's hands from her shoulder. She stood in contemptuous silence for a moment, staring down in defeat, the music cutting in on their love triangle. Caroline walked to Klaus._

 _'Why do you always have to prove you're the alpha male?' She demanded._

 _'I don't have to prove anything love, I am the alpha male.' Klaus replied in shock. She scoffed and crossed her arms, looking away from him._

 _'Come on, one dance.' Klaus urged, holding out his hand. Caroline looked back at Tyler for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of saying no. She realized he could punish Tyler if she said no, then turned back with a set frown and looked at Klaus. His look of hope turned into a smile as she took his hand with a slight smirk of her own, letting him lead her away from Tyler. He walked around her, still holding her hand, and she turned under his own arm, bowing her head, and letting him position them for dancing. His other hand went under her arm and placed just above her rear, her arm bent enough that she rested it on his. They came closer and she looked toward Tyler, getting into Klaus's rhythm of swaying quickly. Within seconds Klaus began to speak._

 _'You would've loved the 1920's Caroline.' The very sound of his voice seemed to annoy her. 'Girls were reckless, sexy...fun.' Klaus said, turning his head to look at her until she realized her mistake and turned away again, Klaus laughing at some memory he must have. 'They literally used to dance until they drop.' He said with a laugh in his throat, spinning her around quickly. He grinned at her as she laughed humorlessly_

 _'I don't suppose that ever happened to their dance partners.' Caroline replied begrudgingly_

 _'You should be nicer to me. I'm leaving town tomorrow.' Klaus replied lightly. She looked at him immediately. 'I'd invite you to come with me but we both know you're not ready to accept my offer.' He added, turning them slower this time, with Caroline's frightened stare on him. It was obvious she was scared she would lose Tyler again, but something seemed like she would miss the hybrid too. They'd only talked a few times, but he seemed more interested in her and who she was than her beloved. Still, she didn't want to give the murderer any credit. If the hybrid left the girl he was courting and became the monster that killed her village again, that was a problem. That couldn't happen._

 _'Perhaps one day,' Klaus began, lifting his head with his eyes cast down. 'in a year, or even in a century,' Caroline stared at Tyler, who was watching the whole scene, no doubt hearing everything Klaus was saying to her. The loyalty Jossana had seen toward Tyler clouded Caroline's face, she looked down in guilt, and toward him a few times. Klaus's eyes turned to Caroline's face again '_ _you'll turn up at my door._ _And let me show you what the world has to offer.' He said. Caroline's eyes went back to his in a glare, searching his eyes for and they stopped moving. She seemed to let his words sink in, and wondered if he truly would do that. If he would really wait for her. Klaus' dark eyes became apparent to her as he came closer to her face. She scoffed at him in mockery, and Klaus quickly dropped his eyes, bowing his head and letting her go. He looked up at her and picked his head up again._

 _'You mark my words.' He hissed darkly, Caroline's glare landing on his eyes again. 'Small-town boy, small-town life. It won't be enough for you.' Klaus stated. If Jossana didn't know any better, he sounded desperate. He hoped she would see the truth in his words and come running after him one day, crying 'you were right, you were right'._

 _As Klaus looked one last time at her face, he stormed past her, and Caroline stared after him in confusion. What had she just seen in that monster that looked so much like a lovesick man? That was the question she probably wouldn't be over until he opened himself up to her, and discover some part of him was still human, and some part of him deserved to be saved._

 ** _'If you don't give me your blood, I'll die'_** _Caroline whispered weakly, lying on the couch in the doppelganger's house, Klaus leaning against the frame of the wall with his arms crossed and looking away from her. Kol was dead. He bit Caroline, a fistful of her blonde hair keeping her from escaping, right after she threw insult after insult at him, nothing he didn't deserve. Tyler had taken Caroline from the house, and then brought her back, a plan in motion. No doubt a plan Klaus had knowledge of, or the jist._

 _'Then you'll die. And Tyler will have learned his lesson the hard way.' Klaus replied simply, no emotion crossing his face as he blinked. No emotion equaled an ocean of one or multiple lurking under the surface. It was obvious he felt he needed to keep the upper hand with Tyler. Show the young hybrid who was boss and he would fall back under Klaus's thumb. But bringing Caroline into the equation, killing her, complicated the situation to say the least._

 _'How could you do this to him? To his mom?' Caroline murmured in anger 'to me.' She added cautiously_

 _'I'm a thousand years old. Call it boredom.' He replied. Caroline closed her eyes and weakly shook her head._

 _'I don't believe you.' She said._

 _'Fine. Then maybe it's because I'm pure evil.' Klaus suggested, his eyelids dropping in fighting to cover his emotions. 'And I can't help myself.' He hissed harshly._

 _'No.' She replied confidently. 'It's because...you're hurt.' She said. Klaus's refusal to look at her was overtaken by wanting to hear more. 'Which means, there is a part of you, that is human.' Caroline explained. Confusion clouded his face and he pushed off the wall, the sound of his shoes echoing in the room as he neared her. He sat down on the table beside her, her eyes staying on him, and one small moment showed sorrow on his face that he quickly covered. Enough sorrow tears were beginning to form in his eyes. His face turned to condescension. It was odd to see it on his face towards her._

 _'How could you possibly think that?' He wanted to know, his whisper taking on volume._

 _'Because I've seen it.' Caroline replied. His hard eyes still on her, waiting for more. 'Because I've caught myself wishing I could forget all of the horrible things, you've done' She admitted, not trying to be loud any longer. She had gotten him where she wanted him._

 _'But you can't.' Klaus assumed, his emotionless features turning to regret. 'Can you?' He managed, trying to sound strong again._

 _'I know that you're in love with me.' Caroline replied. He didn't answer, just stared at her, surprise passing his face. This was it, the moment she needed. She wouldn't have let herself watch these two without some pivotal moment telling her she was doing the right thing. Jossana's mother would be proud. Love bourn from hatred, letting the hybrid live so he could become a better man out of love. That was better than revenge. 'And anybody capable of love, is capable of being saved.' Caroline explained gently._

 _The hybrid could not keep his tears in any longer, and looked away to keep from losing his control any more than he already had. He inhaled shakily. If Klaus Mikaelson wanted to be saved, that was just a bonus for the witch. Better to keep him on the path of staying in love with the blonde vampire. Caroline smiled in victory. Even if she were to die right then, it would be for Tyler. And inevitably the young hybrid would leave Caroline, or vis versa. That love affair couldn't last, when the love of a thousand year old hybrid wanting to be redeemed was hers as well. Tyler didn't have a hope in hell._

 _'You're hallucinating.' Klaus decided. Jossana nearly denied it, nearly spoke and nearly blew the cover she had had for the past year while standing before the two in their shared moments. This couldn't be taken from her so fast when she just got everything she'd wanted._

 _'I guess I'll never know.' Caroline replied, still smiling with her eyes closed. Her mouth relaxed, as she found it too hard to keep the smile now. Klaus kept his head down, waiting for her to say something again. He was scared of what he wanted._

 _A small yelp escaped Caroline's lips and she pursed them to keep herself quiet._

 _'Caroline?' Klaus asked, not able to help himself, his eyes wide on her in panic. No she couldn't be dying, she isn't dying._

 _Another yelp and Caroline twisted against the pain a few times. Fear overtook Jossana as Klaus did nothing but say her name again. His eyes still wide, he looked fearful himself._

 _Caroline stopped moving. A sudden small movement gave Jossana some relief it wasn't too late. Caroline kept making small, weak noises, and the witch turned to Klaus. He leaned closer to her, his face twisting in despair. He wasn't going to let her die. He sniffed and looked away, sighing in defeat. When Klaus stood to reach for the back of Caroline's neck Jossana had to keep from cheering. Klaus sat behind her on the armrest, laying her against him as he surveyed her injury. What had he done? He quickly bit into his wrist, snapping his sleeve to open his vein more to her, and held it against Caroline's lips. Within seconds her brow furrowed, and a sigh of relief escaped him as she bit into his vein herself, making a small desperate noise for more. Klaus's other hand pushed her bangs back from her face, and the look of confusion passed her eyes. But as she gripped his wrist, she seemed to let the thought go. When her other hand reached up to his and she gripped his hand gently, drinking more of his blood, Klaus continued to stroke her hair. The look on his face was so strange. Jossana couldn't quite puzzle it out, but the point was he saved the woman he loved. He saved her. He couldn't kill her. Caroline Forbes would be alive so long as Niklaus Mikaelson had anything to do with it. The plan was safe again._

 ** _Caroline dropped her graduation robe into a chair and_ _smiled._** _She turned around and Klaus was walking up to her, a look of admiration and humor. Jossana herself couldn't help from smiling at the reunion. Just hours ago, he'd saved her life from vindictive witches, this being the second time he's done so. The smile Caroline had given Klaus after the deed left her no doubt that Caroline was indeed falling in love with the hybrid too._

 _'How'd you get here so fast?" Caroline asked softly, taking a few steps toward him_

 _'I was already on my way.' Klaus replied, receiving an impressed look. He took an envelope from his jacket pocket. 'I received your, graduation announcement.' He explained. 'Very subtle.' He commended teasingly, and Caroline had to hide a laugh._

 _'I assume you're expecting cash?' Klaus asked mischeviously._

 _'That, or a minifridge.' Caroline joked, smiling at him._

 _'I had considered offering you a first class ticket to join me in New Orleans.' Klaus replied. She gave him a look and fright passed her face. 'But I knew what your answer would be.' Klaus added in understanding. 'so I opted for something I knew you would accept.' He said. Caroline raised her head with a smile, no doubt assuming it would be something like a new dress, jewelry, a minion to be her assistant. But as Klaus declined to begin again, she saw it wasn't any of those. 'Tyler is now free to return to Mystic Falls.' Klaus said at last. Letting the woman he loved be happy with another. Jossana didn't know what she thought of that. Was he letting her go, was this his last attempt and making her his own and then he'd be back to his old ways?_

 _'What?' Caroline whispered in surprise. Klaus looked away._

 _'He's your first love.' Klaus offered with a smile. Caroline began to grin, not knowing what to say. 'I intend to be your last.' He said gently, letting the words sink in. Caroline's eyes stayed on his, looking as if all thoughts of Tyler disappeared from her mind. 'However, long it takes.' He added with certainty. Her smile disappeared and a new look overtook her face, it looked like yearning. As later memories show, perhaps she was right. Klaus moved in quickly, and placed a small, light kiss on her cheek. His face masked surprise that she didn't move away. In fact she'd welcomed it, her eyes closed as he'd placed a hand on her arm. When he pulled back, Caroline's face was lit up. Now they knew that Klaus had not been out for a conquest. That it was more than winning an argument the night he'd followed her across a road and almost got run over. He truly wanted her, to be with her, to love her. Klaus was very near her face but did not steal a glance at her mouth. He confidently stared into her eyes._

 _'Congratulations, Caroline.' He murmured to her. She grinned so widely she let out a small laugh. That truly was the happiest Jossana had ever seen the young vampire. She had only been interested in their moments together, but knew Caroline was good._

"Hang on, we were given to believe the witch was prejudice against vampires." Kol said, breaking out of the memory. Jossana rolled her eyes.

"Call it nerves, or defense, whatever. I'm not prejudice like some witches are. You should be glad I'm not, or else your brother would've died nine years ago." She replied.

"Now that we have that settled..." Elijah said. "Are there more memories Freya needs to see?" He asked

"Yes, but if she thinks they're true, I can show mere glimpses of them instead." Jossana offered.

"That would be nice, all this closing my eyes and seeing memories feels like dreaming. Far too much like lying in that coffin." Rebekah replied. Jossana looked at Freya and she nodded.

"Very well. I'll be quick, but there are some, memories that need to be played out fully." She said. Jossana closed her eyes again.

 _The night Caroline and Klaus first danced, his conversation with her. Where they went after the dance, her insulting him in every conversation that night._

 _The drawing that came after._

 _Klaus's phonecall to Caroline while he was in New Orleans._

 _Klaus, Stefan and Caroline working together to find Silas. The near moment they had, mapping out where Silas could be. Klaus burying 12 bodies Caroline killed to save her best friend._

 _Klaus in Tyler's body, pushing Caroline away in the cave. His rescue after. Their kisses in the woods. Klaus's words before he left._

 _Klaus meeting Hayley, and coming to the wrong assumption. But if Caroline could depend on his words, Tyler was not the man she trusted. The fake breakup._

 _Caroline coming to distract Klaus as to help free the doppelganger. The deal Klaus made with her for a hybrid._

 _Silas appearing as Klaus to bring out Caroline's knowledge of where the Bennett witch was; she had to stay in the shadows as Silas was more aware than the vampires were._

 _Klaus and Caroline's banter before his painting, 'tiny tim's crutches', 'is that our thing'_

 _Klaus and Caroline talk about the cure. He discovers she doesn't want it._

 _Klaus and Caroline talk on the bench_

 _Klaus rescues Caroline from the vampire hunter_

 _Klaus's hummingbird story_

"Why were you concerned about Hope? There isn't really anything in those memories she shouldn't see." Elijah said.

"There's two more. They're big ones." Jossana replied. "But I wanted to get the other ones passed through you for you to verify their credibility." She said. Freya looked at her and then her siblings.

"Yes, they're real."

"Can I get in?" Hayley asked, moving into the circle beside Elijah. She turned to Jossana.

"So Klaus's thing for Caroline wasn't as trivial as I thought." She realized.

"It would appear so." Elijah replied, taking her hand. She took Freya's.

"I thought Klaus was in love with Camille." Hayley questioned.

"I can show you something different. I know about the little bump in the road, but Camille was not the holder of his heart." Jossana replied. Hayley nodded and closed her eyes.

 _'One, these babies aren't mine, they're Rick's' Caroline began, still bouncing the newborn on her chest to keep the child from crying at her tense tone_

 _'Yes, that's been made abundantly clear to me by your boyfriend.' Klaus replied, spitting out the last word in jealousy, having learned so much about Caroline's life in the past few minutes he hadn't had the time to accept what a complete tool Stefan Salvatore was and move on from it. She didn't want him to move on anyway, the Salvatores were notorious for loving women until something really bad or really good happened to either of them._

 _'Two, I didn't call you, I called Stefan. Yes, my boyfriend. Who is currently running for his life while I play worst-case-scenario. Except these babies, that aren't mine, won't stop crying and this entire diner hates me so you would refrain from gloating in the face of my misery that would be very much appreciated.' Caroline replied, inhaling deeply to keep from breaking down, as he could hear on the phone._

 _'Stefan will be fine.' He assured with a begrudged nod, looking away._

 _'How do you know?'_

 _'Because, I will ensure it.' Klaus replied slowly. This was one thing he could do for Caroline, if nothing else, and so he took a deep breath to quell his annoyance. He had to go and save the man who threatened the safety of his family now. She believed he thought the risk was worth it. Another moment of silence followed and Jossana hoped she took the assurance well._

 _'So, here you are. In college.' Like her speech in the forest. He'd memorized it. 'Building a life for yourself. Plans, a future, things you want.' Klaus implied._

 _'Klaus, I'm not doing this with you.' Caroline laughed. Her voice turned to one of affection and she knew there was a chance the Salvatore would not win._

 _'I take it, children were not involved in those plans.' Klaus said._

 _'No, they weren't. Luckily these aren't mine.' Caroline replied with bitterness._

 _'So you've mentioned.' Klaus said wittily. 'You know, my family challenges the bounds of my sanity. They drive me to do unspeakable things, all the while, inventing fresh, and inventive ways to torture me.' He began. Of course she knew of his family history. That was the first thing she'd done when she went after him; looked into the lives of his siblings. The ones he had at the moment, anyway. 'But, as it turns out, my family is what makes me truly happy.' Klaus said. He looked away. 'It's not a crime to love what you cannot explain.'_

 _He was telling Caroline to be a part of those children's lives, the babies she'd had that Stefan had talked about. He'd assumed she was done with them, her role was over. Klaus was convinced of a different idea._

 _'I was sorry, to hear about your mother Caroline.' Klaus said quickly. It seemed he had been keeping that to himself too long. The night they'd first danced, he offered condolences about her fathers' death, Caroline shot him down. He didn't want her to do so again, and it didn't sound like she was going to. 'I'm sure she would've loved to see you with the little ones.' He added. The emotion he held in those words, made it all way too clear. Since Jossana had been tracking him, seeing the good man Caroline had, seeing her village would be avenged, making sure Klaus stayed a good man; this was the indicator. Caroline was the good, and would bring his goodness out. It had happened with his daughter, but his promise to her when he sent her away was too gruesome for a child to hear. Camille had not made that goodness stay alive, it became twisted. Because of a fight with her, he had ripped apart and drank the blood of a art critic when his father was gone for good. Caroline's simple worry about her Salvatore boyfriend caused him to risk his family's safety for her. Although when Caroline joins him that may never happen again._

 _'Oh my God she's finally sleeping.' Caroline wowed. Klaus smiled at the tone of her voice. He looked away in thought quickly._

 _'Well, then. We mustn't wake her.' Klaus replied with another smile. It disappeared._ _'Goodbye, Caroline.' He said. He didn't want to say it, but he did. And so when the long moment of silence turned into the sound of a disconnected phone, Klaus put the phone in his pocket and went out after the former friend Salvatore._

 ** _A series of grunts could be heard as Klaus neared the sound._** _The huntress had found Stefan, to be sure. The tip of her blade was nearly to his chest when Klaus gripped the tire iron in his hand and swung at the woman with a roar, sending her flying back a considerable distance. Klaus dropped the iron and turned to Stefan, who pulled out the arrow in his shoulder and accepted the hand Klaus offered. He stood before the hybrid who couldn't mask his annoyance._

 _'What're you doing here?' Stefan asked_

 _'The right thing. I hope.' Klaus replied. Stefan turned toward Rayna Cruz' body but Klaus persuaded him from taking it before she came back._

 ** _'Do you love her?' Klaus asked,_** _his hands on the wheel in his car, Stefan sitting beside him. He stared at him. 'Caroline'. He emphasized. They'd talked about his feelings for her before, but Stefan dodged the question time and time again._

 _'Why?' Stefan asked again, dodging. 'Do you still have feelings for her?' He asked suspiciously. Klaus looked down and smiled._

 _'I have far too many complicated women in my life already.' Klaus replied. That wasn't a no. 'Caroline's the reason the tip of Rayna Cruz' blade ended up in your flashed, isn't she? You were protecting her.' He said._

 _'No. I was protecting Damon.' Stefan replied. One clueless Salvatore after the other. Klaus gave Stefan the same look Jossana was, only his was visible. Annoyance, derision. Men needed to stop keeping Klaus and Caroline apart, her village needed to be avenged. She'd only planned on her preservation spell for fifty years. Tyler, Stefan, the vampire hunter, all these men were getting in the way of her plan being completed._

 _'Then let her go, Stefan. Let her go. Or spend an eternity sacrificing everything good you have with her for your brother. Believe me, I've spent an eternity watching Elijah do the same for me.' Klaus replied. Hearing those words, she knew regardless of any human bartender, immortal redheads or any other kind of women entering his life, Caroline was his primary concern. He wanted her to be happy for an eternity._

 ** _Klaus walked down the lines of gravestones, with his head down. He looked weak._** _He rounded the corner and Stefan sat against a mausoleum dedicated to several witches. Jossana couldn't risk going into the place where Klaus' sire line had been severed, knowing she would be found regardless of if the witches were concerned with her or not. It was Klaus she was hiding from. And so it was odd she felt a relief when he came from the place, still intact. Just shaky._

 _'So,' Stefan greeted him, Klaus' eyebrows raising 'the spell worked. We survived. I saved you, and you saved me.' He said. Klaus smiled._

 _Caroline had saved his life. They were almost even if one were to only count the times he hadn't put her life in danger in the first place. Then Caroline would._

 _'Funny how that works, isn't it?' Klaus asked. Stefan let out a peaceful sound._

 _'I'm happy to let this be the end.' Stefan said. 'Am I too optimistic in hoping we'll never see each other again?' He asked._

 _'Well that depends. Are you going to do the right thing?' Klaus asked guardedly. It was understandable, the witches of new Orleans might be dead, but their hearing never goes away. Especially in the presence of their enemies._

 _'By whom? I assume you don't mean my brother.' Stefan replied._

 _'By her' Klaus said in hesitation, searching Stefan's face. It was hard to read it, even for him sometimes. Stefan nodded in understanding._

 _'I love her.' He said. As it had taken this long for the Salvatore to say the words, Jossana was more than skeptical. If nothing else she'd make sure he wouldn't keep Klaus and Caroline apart somehow. 'I know you did once too.' Once? If only he knew why it was he was still alive. If only she could see the look of betrayal on his face. 'I promise I will only do right by her.' Stefan promised. Even that she didn't believe. But she knew if Stefan messed up, Klaus could possibly be the one to pick up the pieces, that was alright by her. Klaus's expression of confusion turned to heartfelt gratitude. He looked down and looked Stefan in the eye again. He looked like he had to hope Stefan would keep his word. Stefan nodded and turned to leave, picking up his backpack._

The group opened their eyes.

"I can't believe this, Nik chose Caroline over us all." Rebekah said.

"Are you so sure it wasn't uncalled for?" Elijah replied. She looked at him. "Niklaus is in love with the girl." Jossana smiled.

"So you believe." She said, relieved.

"Yes, I believe I do. But I need to see the memory that you do not want Hope to see." Elijah replied. Jossana nodded.

"Will you give my message to your brother regardless?" She asked. He nodded.

"I will." He looked at Hayley.

"That could be why Cami died." Hayley noted. "The ancestors heard 'her' and assumed Cami was it, maybe they told Lucien to bite her.

"It hardly matters now, although her death was a tragedy." Elijah replied, soothing her. She squeezed the hand he held out and let go for Jossana to hold onto. Elijah closed his eyes.


	18. This is Why, How, and When

_'Matt we're coming for you!' Caroline called. She kept tromping through the dead leaves in the forest of her home, then looked straight ahead in shock. Klaus stood before her with a smile._

 _'Hello, Caroline.' Klaus greeted._

 _'Klaus.' She stated in surprise, looking him up and down. Klaus smiled. Caroline walked up to him with her signature glare._

 _'Sorry, Matt's buried alive no time to chat.' Caroline said. She sped away, leaving Klaus smiling. He sped after her and intersected her path._

 _'Are you not the least bit curious as to why I'm here?' Klaus asked skeptically, she spun around._

 _'I literally just whooshed at the sight of your face. So no.' Caroline replied, glad to have insulted him now. She stayed firm in her stance._

 _'Damon informed me that Katerina Petrova has taken a tragic turn,' He began_

 _'So you're here to gloat over her corpse to-be.' Caroline assumed. Klaus looked down, about to reply, trying to shape his words in amusement. 'To delight in the closure of 500 years of revenge, great! Now I'm even less interested.' Caroline said. She sped away again. Klaus was left smiling at her absence again. He sped after her and stopped her from running him over, putting his hands up before him._

 _'Well then perhaps you'd be more interested in talking about Tyler.' Klaus suggested. It certainly got her attention as her wide eyes connected to his._

 _'Is he...did you...' Caroline began to ask fearfully_

 _'Nah, I sent him off with little more than a bruised ego, he really does hate me, poor lad.' Klaus replied. 'Revenge, it eats at him. I heard you two broke up.' He added with a smug smirk. Caroline glared at him._

 _'Because I made him choose; me or his stupid revenge fantasy. He chose wrong. I suggest you learn from his mistakes and let Katherine die in peace. Dying sucks enough as it is, without having to rub anyone's nose in it.' She replied. She sped away again, leaving a shocked Klaus in her wake. Thoughts turned in his mind. Wait, did she just ask him to do the same as she'd done with Tyler, choosing her or choosing Katerina? She wondered if she meant to say that or if she was trying to get rid of him yet again. This was getting interesting._

 _Caroline kept calling for Matt and obviously couldn't hear anything. When Jossana caught sight of her again she brushed the hair back from her ears and closed her eyes, listening for anything._

 _'Would you give me the same choice?' Klaus asked from behind her. Caroline rolled her eyes and turned to him in annoyance._

 _'What?' She hissed_

 _'If I were to abandon my revenge against Katerina, would you give me the same choice as Tyler?' He asked again. Klaus abandoning making someone quake in fear of him, over having the love of a woman. That was definitely a plus. Jossana never thought it possible, from remembering the way his face had looked when he slaughtered her grandmother, her mother, sisters. Brother. The look of smug joy on his face was something she would never scrub from her mind, but seeing this romance develop was better. Caroline's glare softened._

 _'I don't, know what you mean.' She managed, bowing her head. That was a good dodge, but the hybrid saw right through her lie. Klaus walked to her._

 _'Yes you do.' Klaus replied simply. Caroline's look of pretend confusion turned into a genuine smile which Jossana thought was beautiful. Caroline tore her eyes from Klaus' in frustrated bliss_

 _'You can't do this to me! You can't just show up and distract me while my friend is in danger!' Caroline said with a grin. Seems the student has surpassed the master._

 _'You know while you've been vamping off in all the wrong directions I heard Matt's distant and desperate screams.' Klaus replied with a smile of his own._

 _'Where?' Caroline asked urgently._

 _'Don't worry love, I've got it covered. Rest-assured he'll be quite happy with his rescuer.' He said. Caroline considered him and let another smile escape. They walked off together and she took a wrong turn, finding them after a few seconds of conversation had begun._

 _'So you came all the way to Mystic Falls just to, back off when I ask you to.' Caroline wowed, lost in thought._

 _'No, I came all the way to Mystic Falls to gloat over a corpse to be as you so, poetically, put it...' Klaus replied, Caroline walked ahead of him, grinning. 'But I will, leave, minus the gloating, in return for one small thing.' He said in suspense, a happy smile already on his face_

 _'And what is that?' Caroline asked_

 _'I want your confession.' He replied, sounding as if he would get it whether she complied or not._

 _'My, confession.' Caroline repeated, she shrugged. 'I didn't do anything.' She shook her head in uncertainty with a humorless grin plastered on her face. Klaus's smile widened. 'confession about what?' She asked. Despite the hybrid seeming genuine in his request for something from her, Caroline seemed to think he was asking for something worse than he was letting on. What on earth could he possibly want from her but the obvious?_

 _'Me.' He said dreamily. Caroline's expression turned from bliss to hiding her emotion. She hadn't hidden her feelings well after accidentally helping Klaus get free of Silas before, she'd certainly gotten practice. But they had become friends, and she was merely listening to a friend. Nothing sinister seemed to be going on between the pair of them._

 _'As soon as we're done here, I'm gonna walk away. And I'm never coming back. You'll never again have to look me in the eye and cover our connection with hostility and revulsion. You'll never again have to loathe the darkest parts of yourself that care for me, in spite of all I've done. I will be gone. And you will be free. I just,' he sighed in frustration 'I want you to be honest with me.' He said. Caroline took a moment, and then her smile grew. Perhaps she was finally willing to relent. After all this time, Jossana didn't blame her for wanting to hide her feelings against the cruel reputation of the hybrid. But when love was a question, she wanted the process moved along. Guardedness was a minor irritation for her now._

 _'I'm in college' Caroline began with a laugh. 'I'm building a life for myself. I have, plans, and a future, and things that I want, and none of those things involve you, okay? None of them.' She said, a look of dubiousness hard on her face which she was not staring right into Klaus's face while saying, perhaps it wasn't true. Her future, after all, was indefinite._

 _'I see' Klaus replied in a low tone, guarding himself again from the things Caroline would soon say._

 _'No, you don't, because...yes, I cover our connection with hostility, because yes, I hate myself, for the truth.' She confessed. Jossana raised her hands in the air and had to fight the urge to dance again. It finally happened! This was no longer a secret which she had to wait for one of them to uncover, it was finally before them! 'So if you promise, to walk away; like you said and never come back then yes I will be honest with you. I will be honest with you...about what I want.' Caroline said, beginning to pant from her ranting. He merely stared at her for a moment and she let out another huff. Then he considered her offer and nodded, stepping closer to her._

 _'I will walk away. And I will never come back. I promise.' He said with a sly smile. Caroline's face softened to affection almost immediately. She let her eyes drop to his mouth as she neared him, Klaus's eyes wide on her face, searching her eyes. She leaned in and kissed him, her hand going to his face as she kissed him again. The thousand year old lovesick, mass-murdering, terrifying, unredeemable monster of a man who wore a suit to their first date, and turned around creating more and more chaos, kissed her back, and kissed her back. He didn't raise his hands to hold her. He merely stood there, and let her confess her feelings over and over. When Caroline pulled away with a low sigh, as if to control herself, their foreheads touched. Her hand stoked the side of his face softly, and the hybrid's look of surprised wonder turned into immense ecstatic joy. They shared a smile and he gripped her arms, guiding her backwards to a nearby tree, without hesitation their kisses began again, Klaus pinning Caroline against the tree, Caroline taking his jacket off, Klaus taking her jacket off, then ripping her shirt front open. As the buttons flew and scattered away, Jossana turned away. She left the happy couple to their business and grinned, punching through the air at her victory._

 _It was only when she came back to find Klaus Mikaelson that she discovered he'd been true to his word. He'd left her. Caroline faced ridicule by her jealous ex-boyfriend who refused to hear her out, and she seemed alright with her afternoon passion with the hybrid. But she never moved on from the moment, the days when Jossana was doubtful Caroline would come to Klaus in New Orleans she travelled to look in on the young vampire. Every time she did there were memories of that day flashing in Caroline's mind. When she conversed with the Salvatores, or the doppelganger. And when Jossana felt she was needed to make sure the hybrid didn't forget her, she saw she had no need of reminding him. The same memories flashed across his eyes. Some small smiles he kept to himself, whether in the company of his family or by himself, were intended for Caroline Forbes. Were because of their memories._

 _They would reunite again._

 _after two full years of waiting for that moment, and another five waiting for Caroline to find the hybrid, or the hybrid to break out of his prison, Jossana felt enough was enough. She would play the role of messenger, and bring the two together like they always should've been._

Elijah and Jossana opened their eyes together and stared at each other.

"That certainly determines what must happen." Elijah decided. Jossana nodded with a smile.

"What did she show you?" Hayley asked. Elijah looked at his love, then to his siblings who stared at him.

"Niklaus and miss Forbes, shared a moment before he returned to our home. He has been waiting for her to return to him since." Elijah replied. Hayley looked away in thought, and Jossana turned to the other Mikaelsons, who were also busy wrapping their head around the new information.

"Seven years." Rebekah wowed.

"Yes." Elijah replied. "Perhaps our dear brother is not a man who couldn't love after all." Elijah said. She eyed him. "Perhaps he is indeed redeemable." He said to himself in a murmur. Jossana caught his eye and asked a silent question.

"My brother, who at the beginning of our lives was kind and compassionate, became the monster you watched slaughter a village. I have been trying for centuries, to find a way to redeem him. I must take the blame for his pain, however. At the beginning before he had become Niklaus Mikaelson, a hushed whisper only passed by the ones in fear of him, to the point where he was merely a myth, he had had a love. Aurora De Martel, you might've seen her the times you followed Niklaus, I'm sure." Elijah said. Jossana bowed her head.

"I did, yes. And I apologize if doing so hinders your trust in me." She replied.

"It is no matter at present, but if I might add; Aurora broke my brother's heart. He wanted her to come with him the time when our father found us again, and she came to me. My head was clouded in judgment of the girl and her brother, I did not give her a choice. It was the first time I learned we the first vampires could compel others we had created. I compelled her, to break Niklaus's heart, and refuse to leave with him. And so the monster he became was the fault of both Aurora de Martel, and my own." Elijah said. Jossana nodded.

"Caroline telling Klaus Mikaelson she believed he could be redeemed, because of his feelings for her. That was part of why he became a good man for her." Jossana said.

"Bloody hell." Rebekah said to herself. "That vampire Marcel had put into the Garden for killing a vampire, Thierry. Nik freed him for her." She realized. Jossana nodded with a smile.

"I must go and tell him." Elijah said, rushing from the room. Jossana smiled at the rest of the Mikaelsons and Elijah appeared at the doorway.

"I trust since you've told us all you know, you will cease following my brother?" He asked.

"Yes, I promise." She replied. He nodded. She turned back to the others.

"You believe me, right?" She asked.

"The only thing you've done with your stalker abilities was to bring hope to our family and love to our brother. That is not a cause for alarm, dear." Rebekah replied. Jossana looked at Kol.

"Things will certainly become more interesting around here once Nik's brought the baby vampire to us." He agreed. "And if he feels you deserve to die because of what you did, I'm sure Caroline will come to your rescue."

"We will guard you as well." Freya added to Kol's idea. Hayley nodded. Jossana smiled at them.

"Thank you. I do have to remind you, once Klaus Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes are joined, I might not be long for this world. The preservation spell we learned has only been done by me. I'm sure once the spell is broken it will revert me to my original age."

"Don't worry about that." Freya said, coming to Jossana's side. "If you wish to remain alive and live out the rest of your days, I will complete the spell so you have an added eighty years. Just say the word." She offered.

"No, I think I'll let my time run out." Jossana replied. "I have missed my family for sixty years. I stayed alive to make sure their memories were left in the peace they chose. I want to join them again." She said. Freya smiled at her and nodded.

"Well we'll have to wait and see if Klaus is going to be told of your presence. And if so, if he believes your word. We'll keep you hidden until then." Rebekah said. Jossana nodded and followed Rebekah into the room they'd come from.

* * *

The door being locked was little consequence to Elijah. He knocked on the door and upon receiving no reply, he kicked the door from its hinges, letting it drop open, still attached by a corner. Klaus turned toward his brother unbothered, sitting at the side of his bed as Elijah straightened his suit and walked from the partially blocked doorway.

"Klaus I don't know, what it is that's troubling you, and if as you continue to keep it from all of us, there may be something that interests you." Elijah began. Klaus blinked and turned to his brother warily. He hadn't shaven since he left the Garden, his hair was becoming long, his eyes going between bloodshot and bright red, he would assume from tears. The man hadn't even bathed for two weeks, not leaving his room for anything but blood. Although sometimes he decided to wreak havoc in an empty room, tearing every piece of furniture to shreds and yelling while doing so. This was one of the lowest points Elijah had ever seen him. Klaus didn't say a word. "Brother I've heard of Caroline Forbes, I've known her appearance from Rebekah's description. But I never knew what she meant to you." Klaus turned away. "And it wasn't until minutes ago, that I learned she was looking for you." Elijah said. Klaus stood up, his eyes wide on his brother. Klaus walked to him, and placed a hand on Elijah's shoulder, raised his other hand as well.

"This better not be a trick." Klaus replied, pointing an accusing finger at him. Elijah nearly let his brothers' first words in six months stun him into silence.

"I assure you, it's not." Elijah said. Klaus let go of Elijah's shoulder and turned away. "You must go to her, brother." He said as Klaus travelled to another room inside his bedroom. Klaus looked at him and Elijah was briefly reminded of an isolated hermit; long beard, scraggly hair and a mute voice.

"That I shall, brother." Klaus replied. "I just need to make myself presentable first." He said. Elijah grinned as Klaus disappeared into his bathroom, and when Elijah went back to his siblings the others were staring at him expectantly.

"He's going, I think." Elijah told them. Everyone shared silent smiles and waited for Klaus to appear from his bedroom. Within an hour he did. His hair was shaved down, his blonde curls gone. His facial hair around his mouth was almost non-existent. And he looked clean.

"So it takes a long-lost love to get you to shower, that's good to know." Rebekah noted.

"If you all could refrain from your comments, please." Klaus replied.

"Nik, it's us." Kol told him teasingly. He smiled at his little brother and began to walk away.

"Where're you going?" Freya asked. Klaus looked at her.

"I'm going to find Caroline." He said simply. With a grin he left in a flash, and Rebekah went to check on Jossana.

Things were starting to look up.


	19. Better Love

**So I'm putting this out there right now: If someone who reads this were to make a fanvid about this drabble with Hozier's Better Love song as the thing; and maybe more than one will do it; I will write you a fanfic. You have my word. Just send me a link to the video, I'll watch it then I'll write a different Klaroline fic for you. It can be whatever subject you want, or if you want me to pick it that's fine too. And everybody who makes a fanvid for this will get a fic.**

Klaus dropped the last folded down blanket on the pile at the foot of Caroline's made-up bed. The canopy was delicate, spiraled wood reaching to the ceiling, and a light cover draped over each post, to look like it was hiding a work of art. He turned to Caroline whose arms were folded and he left his hands by his sides. He'd volunteered to do the job of bringing everything to her room to try and win back Caroline's good favor. Despite knowing he had been locked away in the Garden wall for three years, she was still angry. She wouldn't even let him hold her, wouldn't let him touch her. At least she was staying.

"Thank you," Caroline said, looking down and rocking slightly "you can go now." Klaus stared at her

"Is that all you're willing to say to me?" He asked hurtfully, Caroline's glare returned as she looked in his eyes. "Love, it's been seven years. I missed you."

"I missed you too." Caroline snapped. His face turned to one of surprise. She looked away. "I looked for you three years ago. But I had the twins so I couldn't stay and track down your ass despite every nerve in my body wanting to." She said. Klaus took a couple steps towards her, staring at her. Her glare stayed on his face when he didn't reach out to her.

"I remember explaining why it was you couldn't find me." Klaus replied.

"Yeah? Well I didn't hear any sort of apology the twenty times you and your siblings told me over and over again how you sacrificed yourself for your family and your daughter." Caroline yelled. Confusion passed over his face. She let out a groan of frustration and covered her face with her hands, turning away. As she dropped them she turned back to him. "Tell me you're sorry." She growled.

"Sorry for what, Caroline?!" Klaus replied in desperation "That I love my family, that if one more of them was to die, regardless of if they could be brought back, it would devastate me; sorry that if I let anything happen to my little girl I would never forgive myself?!"

"Sorry that you put yourself in that situation!" She yelled. "Sorry that you never told me what was going on, so that when I looked for you, I could find you and help you! Sorry that you got trapped in that stupid Garden, sorry that you made an enemy out of those ancestors so they would hurt you and your family the way that they did!" Caroline began panting and he could see she was on the verge of tears. "Tell me you're sorry for almost getting yourself killed, even if your sire line is free from sharing the same fate. Tell me that."

Klaus looked Caroline in the eye and took one last step toward her, reached out to her, brushing his thumb across her cheek, and burying his hand in her hair. She continued panting in order to control her tears, but when one rolled down her cheek, Klaus gently touched his forehead to hers.

"I'm sorry, love." He whispered slowly, watching her face. Caroline closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath she didn't need. She opened her eyes to his and in a quick moment Klaus saw how scared she'd been for him. How much she loved him.

His lips landed hard on hers and his hand burrowed deeper in her hair to grip the back of her head. His other hand went to place itself on her side. Caroline kissed him back, her hands on his arms, moving to cradle his face. Their kisses became more heated and so Klaus guided Caroline to her bed, her legs bumping into the foot of it and a couple blankets falling to the floor. He shed his jacket quickly, Caroline relieving him of his shirt in the same second, Klaus doing the same with her shirt. When their mouths joined again, Klaus pushed her against the bed, making her sit. He followed her down and they moved farther onto the bed.

She was the only one who truly knew what his family meant to him. The only one that grew concerned of his well-being even if he always managed to escape death. And so when Caroline's lips found his again, he made sure she knew the sentiment was appreciated, and reciprocated.

The first night they've been together since he left. The first night they stayed together because she stayed.

 **I was listening to Hozier's Better Love and since I'm in the Klaroline zone I thought of it. I understand that Klaus already told Caroline his family makes him happy, but this plays on the fact that the other women in his life don't know that, and he's so used to defending himself to them or feeling he had to, he was expecting her to have the same opinion as the other women in his life. Maybe I should've written that in there but I wanted to get to the 'night of passion' bit, which I'm still not too good at writing yet. I kept thinking of Klaus and Caroline being together again after being apart for so long; the angst, the love, etc.**

 **As I said at the top: If someone who reads this were to make a fanvid about this drabble with Hozier's Better Love song as the thing; and maybe more than one will do it; I will write you a fanfic. You have my word. Just send me a link to the video, I'll watch it then I'll write a different Klaroline fic for you. It can be whatever subject you want, or if you want me to pick it that's fine too. And everybody who makes a fanvid for this will get a fic.**


	20. Break His Heart

**I realize I've also prompted a Captain Swan TLK, but this idea came to me. This is Snowing, when Snow had to break Charming's heart the first time.**

Caroline moved silently among the pillars, knowing any second a guard would walk through. But the footsteps belonged to another man, as she hid. Klaus. His rough blonde head going past her without noticing, his shoulders hunched his hands behind his back. Almost like the day they last saw eachother. But he was much happier then.

 _A bird landed on her arm, and gently she took the rolled note from its leg, setting it free._

 _'_ _Dear Caroline,_

 _As you have not tried to contact me I can only assume you have found the happiness that you so deserve. I have not forgotten you. If you'll forgive me, I must tell you the moment we parted runs through my head, every day. And I wish I had told you then what I am telling you now._

 _I am in love with you. Wholly, completely, always and forever. But I am to be wed in two days. Come to me before that day arrives, before I am to be bound. Tell me you feel the same way and we can be together. If you do not come, I will know my answer._

 _Klaus'_

Caroline stroked the parchment of the note in her pocket and smiled at the briskly retreating head. She crept up behind him and reached out. A hand clapped over her mouth, big enough that no yelps or shrieks could escape her lips, and she was dragged back.

When a door closed before her, she was released. Caroline whirled around to see a sour face before her, his hands behind his back, his chin tipped high, his dark and sullen eyes gazing unimpressed at her.

"So you are the woman that the cur has fallen in love with. I should've known this would happen." The man said. Or rather king. King Mikael.

"That's a nice name for your only son." Caroline noted dryly.

"He is not my son mistress, I'll thank you not to use that tone with me, or I shall become cross."

"You dragging me back and keeping me from Klaus, that was me on your good side?" She asked. Mikael ground his jaw and she watched him. Mikael was not a kind king, and she had no notion of what happened to subjects who challenged him. Then again. She wasn't his subject.

"You're going to do something for me." Mikael stated. Caroline blinked.

"Why should I?" She asked.

"Because I will kill him otherwise." He said. She stared at him and gulped. Then studied his face.

"Why not kill me instead?" She asked.

"Because Niklaus is engaged to be married. You have poisoned their intended union. Killing you will make him love you more. This kingdom will fall, and it will be because of your memory. I will not allow that to happen." He replied. He stepped closer to Caroline who defiantly glared at him.

"You will break his heart, or I will kill him right before your eyes." He hissed. Caroline gulped again and felt tears rise to her eyes. She couldn't let him die. Not because of her selfish want for love. She looked down slightly and back up to Mikael, before turning away and heading for the door.

"He will never, be safe from me." He said calmly. Caroline froze in midstep, then continued walking. She closed the door behind her.

Caroline walked into the room, holding the note. Klaus was packing for his wedding. She silently stood on her toes, and then stared at him a long while. This was the last time she'd ever see him. It was either her confession, or his life. With an aching heart, she fell back on her hunter-boot heels and took two steps toward him, her footsteps echoing on the stone floor. Klaus looked up from his possessions and laid eyes on her. The love that encompassed his eyes made her want to forget everything Mikael had said and just tell him what he should know.

"You came" He whispered. Her adrenaline rush vanished. Mikael had threatened Klaus's life. This couldn't happen. "You came!" He said happily, rushing to her and wrapping his arms around her, laughing and twirling. Caroline buried her face in his neck and fur-lined coat, willing herself not to cry. He put Caroline down and she forced herself to pull back from him with a calm face. Klaus glanced at her mouth. _This would've been our first kiss_ She thought in despair. But as his lips neared hers, she pushed him away slightly.

"Klaus wait. This...us...we can't be together." Caroline spoke in a murmur, her voice shaking.

"What? Of course we can, you came. You came. And as you feel the love that I do for you-"

"I don't." She interrupted. If she hadn't done so, her heart would've melted. She wouldn't have been strong enough. His face turned to one of confusion. "You told me always and forever. I can't keep your heart from someone else who will love you truly, it's not right. You deserve to love someone who loves you in return." She said. Every word she said drove home, every word she uttered made her feel nauseous. It was his life, or their love.

A single tear fell from his eye, slowly, as he stared at her. Utter despair clouding his features until he had to suppress them to keep from falling apart before her. She handed him back the note she'd come with, and he took it. It crumpled in his hand, and she had to keep her eyes upon his to ignore the sound of him throwing the note to the floor.

"Goodbye, Klaus." Caroline said, and side stepped him, walking away. It wasn't until she found the servants' quarters, behind the door where no one would be bored enough to look, that she let herself break down. She could never be with Klaus. Klaus was alive now, he would stay alive as long as he was what Mikael wanted. But she saved Klaus from him. And that she would never regret.

Wiping her tears from her face, she walked discreetly from the castle, and towards the wilderness.

But of course, this was not the end of Caroline Forbes and Klaus Mikaelson's story.


	21. I'm Back

**I had a fic similar to this but I'm 98% sure I'm just throwing it away. This one's got more to it anyway.**

* * *

Caroline held her dress to her body, looking back at Bonnie and Enzo with expectant grins while they praised every dress she tried on. She'd known what her wedding dress would be since she was fourteen, but now nothing in the mirror looked good enough. She was getting married to Stefan Salvatore. Her what-if guy she loved more than anything that was making a home for her kids, who she was living with.

"That one looks perfect, Care." Bonnie assured her. Caroline smiled and looked back in the mirror. Then she looked to the pile of discarded dresses and bent down, the flap of her open gown falling far enough her bra showed. She looked out through the mirror. Someone was watching her.

And out there, standing in the street, was Klaus. Straggly, long-haired, restless angry Klaus. In surprise she let go of the dress and it pooled around her feet, she stumbled over the material of the dress and there she stood, only in her underwear, before the guy who'd promised to be her last love. Just like old times, wasn't it?

"What is it, Care?" Bonnie asked, walking over to her and looking through the window with her.

"Klaus." She replied, her face hardening. Her hands tightened to fists and she grabbed the dress she came in with, putting it on in a second, and stood before Klaus again, whose slightly amused face still held her eyes. "I'll be right back."

"Wait a second, who's Klaus?" Enzo asked.

"Wow you weren't here for a while." Bonnie replied. Enzo looked at her and Caroline flew past him.

"It's okay, I'll be alright. Tell Stefan where I went though, please?" Caroline called. She sped from the building and Bonnie and Enzo watched her storm up to the hybrid who had been out of their lives for so long.

Without a moment of hesitation, her hand flew up and Caroline slapped Klaus, hard. His long hair flew, his sunken eyes carried a measure of hurt at the blow and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"What in the hell are you doing here?" She snarled.

"I came to find you, love. I heard from a certain bartender you were looking for me." Klaus replied, trying to smirk. He winced and Caroline watched him try to pull himself together.

"What happened to you?" She asked. Klaus looked her over and chuckled.

"Too much." He replied. "And not enough." Caroline's concern for him overturned her anger for a brief moment and she gently took his arm.

"Here, let's get you inside." Caroline said, leading him. Klaus let her pull him toward the door, and she let him put his arm around her waist to steady himself while she brought him through the building and towards the room Bonnie and Enzo were in.

"What happened?" Bonnie asked, shooting up. Enzo mirrored her concerned face and Caroline dropped Klaus on the couch.

"I don't know. But I couldn't let him be out there, not while Sybil's still at large." Caroline replied.

"Who the bloody hell is Sybil?" Klaus grumbled, combing back his shaggy hair.

"Wow. He's been gone a long time." Bonnie said.

"You don't wanna know." Caroline told him, sitting down beside him. "The most you need to know is it took Damon, and it had Enzo for a while then let him go for some reason."

"Does Sybil have Stefan now?" Klaus asked.

"No." Caroline replied, shooting looks at Bonnie and Enzo as they stared at her. Klaus hung his head and so he didn't catch them. It was a long couple of minutes before Caroline shifted on the couch again toward him.

"What happened, Klaus. What did this to you?" She asked. He picked his head up and eyed her with a smile.

"Glad to see you still care." He replied. Her face suddenly twisted to anger again.

"I don't. But if there's a threat out there we need to know about it so we aren't just prepared for Sybil to come back." She snapped. Klaus looked away.

"Don't worry. That threat won't come looking for me, or any of you. It's finished with me now." He replied in a half-delirious voice. Caroline glanced at Bonnie and Enzo again. Enzo sat on the couch by Klaus, Bonnie sat by Enzo on the floor.

"Five years, right?" Caroline asked suddenly. Klaus looked at her in confusion. "Five years since we last saw eachother?" She prompted. Klaus's eyebrow rose and he looked away.

"When I was away it seemed longer."

"And two since we last talked." She said in a soft voice. Klaus looked back at her. "What happened? Talk to me."

"I have watched siblings die far too many times. Watched Rebekah go mad. Elijah finally got the happiness he so deserves." Klaus replied. He stared in her eyes. "I almost saw the end of the vampire race, more than once. And not just here."

"How?" Caroline asked.

"It doesn't matter now, it was my sireline that broke. You're all safe now." Klaus replied with a smile. "But after I was freed, after, everything calmed down….after we were safe again…" He began, and cautiously leaned towards her, her eyes open in caution. "When I heard of your visit to my city, I knew where I must go." He said. Caroline held his eyes still. "What kept me going, what kept me from falling to dust, was the thought of finding you again." Klaus said. He reached for her hand and before she could pull it back, his thumb went over the one thing she wasn't ready to tell him about yet. Stefan's 'friendship ring.'

Klaus looked at it and Caroline looked at Enzo and Bonnie, who simultaneously decided they better stand back. He held up her hand and looked at the diamond covering her slight ring finger.

"What is this?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"Um, it seems to be an engagement ring." Caroline replied. His eyes went back up to hers and she stared hard at him.

"You're getting married to Stefan." Klaus stated, his face falling. Caroline pulled her hand from his, his hand frozen in the air.

"Yep. He asked when you were gone. After I came back from looking for you in New Orleans, when you were nowhere to be found." She replied.

"And you said yes."

"Why wouldn't I?!" She demanded. "You knew how worried I was about Stefan when he was running from the huntress, you even promised to keep him safe. You probably even knew from how I sounded that I loved him. So of course, I said yes." Klaus' eyes showed such sadness she had to fight to keep from showing her sympathy. He wasn't there when she needed him. Why did he deserve her compassion now?

"Well." Klaus replied in a soft voice. "I'm happy for you." He raised his hand to her shoulder and quickly came in, kissing her cheek. Caroline merely closed her eyes.

A soft rapping on the wall opened Caroline's eyes and she looked into Stefan's. Klaus slowly turned around.

"Klaus." Stefan greeted with a hard face. Bonnie and Enzo watched Klaus try to muster a happy face.

"I believe congratulations are in order, old friend." He replied, standing up as carefree as he could.

"What are you doing here." Stefan asked without pretense.

"I was just here to see an old friend, it seems."

"Well you've said your peace, you can go now."

"I wasn't talking about you, mate." Klaus replied. Stefan held his stare for a moment. "Tell me, did you inform Caroline about the advice I gave you?" He asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"So letting Caroline go because Damon would always be first on your list of priorities that went in one ear right out the other?" Klaus asked dubiously. Stefan remained silent. Caroline stood up and stared at Stefan, suddenly full of questions. Klaus turned around to Caroline and looked her in the eye.

"I do have one question for you, though." He said. Caroline gave an interested look. "If you knew I was nowhere to be found, why did you not wait for me to turn up?"

"You think I wanted to feel more like an idiot for believing you wanted to be my last love?" Caroline replied. "When you weren't in New Orleans I figured it out. You weren't there, you didn't tell me you were going anywhere, and then you didn't contact me after to tell me you turned up."

"I thought you didn't want me to."

"Don't you think I would've dropped everything to find you again if I thought you were actually gonna be there?" She demanded.

"I don't know, Caroline, you were with another man. A man who I trusted, a man that told me he loved you. And as you so accurately pointed out I could hear in your voice how much you felt the same, so why would I have contacted you?" Klaus replied. Caroline stood in silence for a while, seeming not to notice everyone else listening in. Stefan's eyes fell and he planted himself at the door.

"I wanted to be your last love too, Klaus." She murmured. "If you had been there I would've stayed." She added quietly. "With you." She lifted her eyes to his and Klaus couldn't help but let a small smile drift on his face, chuckling in surprise.

"I'm here now, love." He replied.

"You're late." She snapped. Klaus's smiled fell slightly. She looked at Stefan who had an eyebrow raised and his eyes snapped to hers.

"Well if you'll excuse me…" Stefan said, drawing everyone's attention "I think I'll let the happy couple have their reunion in peace." No one stopped him. Caroline watched him go with a frustrated face and looked back at Klaus.

"Okay, there is only one way I will let you stay in this town." Caroline snapped. Klaus looked at her, ready for anything she could say.

"Tell me what the hell happened or I swear I will kill you myself." She said.


	22. Dead

**I know this is a depressing fic but I have to write this one. All the aus I see online about Caroline dying, Klaus saying goodbye (albeit they're few) they all show Klaus just looking very sad and being gentle. I know my boy wouldn't be acting like that when he sees the love of his life dead.**

* * *

She was dead before him. Dead. Her chest unmoving, as a vampire's body would not stir; her eyelids did not flutter. Not like last time. He sucked in a breath and walked unsteadily outside, away from the others, away from his family who was gathered around Caroline's body with him. He shied away from the open windows, finding an abandoned shed. He just, needed to be alone.

The tears wouldn't stop no matter how much breathing he did, as Caroline had taught him to do while keeping from doing something incredibly stupid, and soon he started to get dizzy. Klaus fell into the shed's doors and nearly fell to the floor, seeing before him that it was bigger than he'd thought. He breathed hard, wiping at his tears, and stared at a stand-still chair before him, almost goading him.

He roared.

He lunged for the wooden contraption, gripping it under the back and throwing it so hard it blew through the sheds wall to the others side, falling into the tall grass.

The shelves near him fell, and as the objects fell with him he caught them, throwing them also as hard as he could. There were several dots of sturdier objects that joined the table, while others shattered so defiantly against the wall pieces were embedded in the wood. He stared at them angrily.

He should've been able to stop Caroline's death. It was his fault she was dead.

He kicked the shelf away from him and fell to the ground on his hands and knees.

Caroline's veined face flashed in front of his eyes and he gripped his hands into fists, clawing at his face with blunt fingernails and screaming.

This was not how eternity was supposed to end.

Klaus stood again and lunged at the wall, diving his fist through it, splinters stabbing into his vampire skin. He left them there, lunging at the opposite wall, hoping that with beating the thing up it would fall to the ground. He wanted the shed in pieces by the time he was done.

He wanted the world in shattered pieces by the time he was done. And him along with it.

Gripping the hole in the wall he pulled the wood apart and a groaning accompanied Klaus tearing up the wall. The ceiling began to fall and when Klaus looked up he sneered at it. He tore at the other wall and kicked a hole in the back wall, adding to the rest of the holes.

"This is what you've done!" Klaus roared at the objects hiding in the grass "this is what happened to her!" He screamed and ran headlong through the shed again, uncaring if he were to get caught in the rubble. He didn't, and plowed through the doors, the wood flying away from its hinges farther away into more grass as the shed crumbled under his rage.

A glance towards the house Caroline lay turned Klaus's anger into wretched sadness again, trudging up to the room where his family turned around to glance at him before taking in the sight of Caroline's dead body.

"It's not your fault, Nik" Rebekah began, reaching out to her brother. He jerked his shoulder away.

"How do you know." Klaus growled, staring at the love of his life. "She came here because of me. I promised her an eternity of being together, and she takes me up on it." He looked at Elijah. "Now look at what happened to her because of me." He said, looking back at Caroline. The same eyes that were now closed forever used to look on him in love. She'd promised not to ever leave him. Never again. He couldn't bear to look on her.

Klaus took a step back and gripping Elijah's shoulder as if trying to catch his balance.

"Brother," Klaus began and turned his big brother toward him. "Kill me." Elijah stared at him in disbelief.

"What?" He asked

"If I have to bear this pain for the rest of my life – no, for the rest of this day, I will surely do it myself. But I have tried and failed numerous times. You know what has to be done to finally send me where I truly want to be."

"No." Elijah stated surely. "We'll get her back. We will resurrect Caroline." He promised. Klaus laughed without humor, walking away

"How, brother? How?!" He gestured to her "She's not an Original, she wasn't born a thousand years ago; her supernatural ability was no more special than a common vampire's! A simple bloody stake would've done her in if she didn't know how to combat it!" Klaus yelled.

"We will find a way, Niklaus." Elijah said. He pulled his brother into an embrace. "We will find a way, brother. It doesn't matter how long it takes, we will bring her back." Klaus's face buried in Elijah's shoulder, no one could see the terrible sadness showing on his face. Tears running down his cheeks left him with a ragged breath, one his sisters could hardly stand to hear. Elijah gripped his brother tighter, not allowing himself to fall apart for seeing Klaus this way. He glanced at Hayley whose face was showing how she tried to reign it in as well, and nearly failing. A tear fell from her eye.

It took a long while before Klaus got himself together as best as he supposed he would. Without Caroline there in the night, to calm him down after night terrors, to just talk with him until one or both of them fell asleep, to just be there and dream beautifully before him as he wasted the hours watching her…life would be even worse than it had been being away from her so long. As he pulled away, Elijah looked him in the eye again.

"We will bring her back, brother." He promised.

"What if she doesn't want to come back?" Klaus murmured tiredly. Elijah blinked at him. "Maybe the place she went to, she's happy in. What if she doesn't care to come back?" Klaus asked. Rebekah took a step forward.

"Without you she won't be happy, I can assure you of that, brother." She said. Klaus turned to her and his sister was taken aback by his face. His eyes were still puffy and red, his mouth hanging open lazily. Splinters stuck out of his hands at the knuckles, blood dried to his skin, dust from the place he tore apart clung to his clothing, a scratch across his face from something else. He looked a complete mess.

"You must find a way to communicate with her before she is to return, should she wish it." Klaus replied, turning to Freya. Freya stared at him and nodded. The two looked at Caroline's body. "I don't want her to be brought back unless it's something she truly wants. I will not force her back into this world without knowing she isn't happy where she is."

"You have my word, Niklaus." Freya vowed. Klaus nodded and sniffed, taking another step to Caroline. He sat down beside her and without a word everyone left while he reached cautiously to Caroline's veined hand, enveloping it in his.

"Please, love" He said, looking at her peaceful face "return to me."


	23. Dead Part II

**After getting reviews on Dead, I thought I would try to end my writer's block...kinda worked. Still some kinks. This isn't finished but it's a start, I hope you approve. :)**

Caroline had stood by her body when everyone gathered in the room. Saw the look on Klaus's face when he appeared last. The sheer horror. The emotions in turmoil in his eyes. She'd watched him tear the shed to pieces, and stood by Elijah as Klaus asked to be killed.

"No!" She yelled. No one could hear her. She looked around to all the people who had listened to her ideas, her ranting, for the past six years she'd been there in New Orleans. They couldn't hear her. They could only hear how horribly her love was crying for her. She sniffed and tried not to cry because of it, looking away as if someone were going to see her.

She walked around to Klaus's shaking form and reached out her hand. Would he feel her touch? She wanted to try. It was after the chill of her spirit reached out to Klaus that he began to calm down. Caroline smiled to herself. Not even death separated them.

"We will bring her back, brother." Elijah had promised.

"Yes, Freya's gotta rifle through stuff, find some loophole to bringing me back and I won't be stuck here anymore." Caroline replied.

"What if she doesn't want to come back?" Klaus had asked.

"What?" Caroline replied. "Of course I want to come back, you think I really want to be stuck in this place where no one can see or hear me? You can feel me but what if you're the only one?" Just hearing herself say these words proved to her how badly she needed to come back. Not having anyone hear her …it would drive her insane.

"Caroline?" A voice came. She looked around. There stood Tyler, staring at her in disbelief. She smiled at him sadly.

"Tyler." She greeted.

"What're you doing here?" He asked.

"Hello to you too." Caroline said in annoyance. "It's kind of a long story."

"So shorten it." Tyler replied.

"Tyler, I'm dead right now. The guy I love is falling to pieces because I'm dead. I don't have time to feel guilty for my decision." She walked up to her ex. "And even if I did, I wouldn't." She walked away as Klaus's family filed out of the house, Klaus staying with her body.

"I wasn't going to talk about your decision again, Care." Tyler called. Caroline turned back to him and took in Klaus.

"Please love," he said "return to me." Caroline smiled at him and felt tears clog her throat.

"He really loves you." Tyler stated. She raised her eyes to him.

"Caught on, have you? Took you long enough." She replied.

"Don't you quote Harry Potter to me." Tyler said, making her laugh in spite of herself. "What if I told you you could come back?" He asked. She sniffed and pushed her hair back.

"How do I know I can trust you?" She asked.

"You can't." Tyler said, walking towards her "but I'm going to do it too."

"How are you here anyway?" Caroline asked. Tyler shook his head.

"Damon." He said. "I've been dead a while. The last bad guy that went through our town took him and when Elena woke up I was dead. Of course she forgave him, she always does. But luckily while I was a ghost, I was able to tail him. He actually was pretty broken up about what he did. So I forgave him too." Tyler said.

"Are you serious?" She asked. "Damon killed you. How can you forgive him for that?"

"Because of the bad guy took him over. If he hadn't killed me she would've found out Damon was still clinging to the memory of Elena. She was threatening to send him to hell if he didn't cooperate, which left everyone else undefended. And he knew Stefan wouldn't stand a chance." Tyler looked at her. "The important thing is I know how to get back, there's a witch that can help us. We find her; we get you back to your boyfriend. I get my life back." Caroline smiled at him.

"We're on the same team then?"

"Same team."

Everyone was sitting in the drawing room, waiting for Freya to figure out the right spell. Klaus couldn't stop moving, and so he had to leave, knowing they needed their peace as much as he couldn't give it to them. Caroline had taught him a lot, including how much she could be loved. It wasn't just him who was losing his mind; Kol had become her best friend, her backup tourist guide when Klaus was busy and she didn't feel like she needed to help; her guru for when she was decorating her room before moving in with Klaus, a guy to gossip with. Rebekah went to her for fashion advice...Caroline found a way to stop Rebekah from going mad. Hayley asked her to babysit once in a blue moon because she was the safe one to go to after Hayley and Klaus had their parental fights…everyone in his family needed her in their own special way. Elijah looked deep in thought and Rebekah stood up, pacing back and forth.

"I'm going to lose my mind if I keep just sitting at the edge of my seat for however long it takes." she turned to Freya. "I know how important she is to all of us but please don't overexert yourself."

"Sister, I'm fine." Freya assured her gently. "Our brother needs her back, we all do."

"Sister, if you hurt yourself you won't be able to bring her back. Take breaks." She ordered. Freya looked away and Rebekah walked from the room, gathering with Klaus and Elijah who followed straight after. She stared at him.

"Why the bloody hell are you taking such an interest? We've never seen you two being nice to eachother." Rebekah replied.

"It doesn't matter right now, Rebekah. Suffice it to say she's been a wise friend when others aren't around." Elijah said, then ground the knuckle of his finger into his lips which were trembling. Klaus studied him.

"These theatrics wouldn't happen to also be a cry out for something else that was lost." Klaus asked dangerously. Elijah's eyes flickered up to his.

"Niklaus bloody Mikaelson you are not going to start a sibling war right now." Rebekah snapped. "You know she's always been faithful to you." She added.

"Yes, but has he been faithful to Hayley?" Klaus asked. Elijah ground his jaw and sped Klaus into the wall, his forearm pinning his little brother from his collarbone to the wall.

"I am not, in love with Caroline. I have been in love with Hayley from the moment I saw her and believing otherwise, shows how afraid you are."

"You think I won't admit to being afraid now, brother?!" Klaus roared, yanking Elijah's elbow down and pushing him away. "The love of my life is dead. If we can't get her back I face an eternity of darkness, a darkness like I've never known. The abyss might swallow up my soul and leave not a trail behind, I may never be the man she loved again. If we can't resurrect her, I will join her, I can promise you that brother, but what happens in-between?!" Elijah stared at him, wide-eyed. Klaus's face contorted into pain again. "I can't wait much longer. I can't take not knowing." He sniffed and side stepped his siblings, tearing running from his eyes again as he fast walked to his room. Their room. He didn't hide the pain in his heart, not now.

Caroline stood here at the entrance of the compound, by herself. Her body was reeling from a series of shocks. Of course she knew he loved her. But this much? She looked down and took a breath, staggering back. She couldn't give up on coming back. She couldn't watch him die, and she couldn't wait for the evil he feared would come. Even with the monster being all that could be left of him her heart would remain his. But she couldn't watch it happen. She looked after where Klaus had gone, and wanted to will herself up there, even if all she heard were his sobs. Her mouth opened as if to call him. But he couldn't hear her.

Footsteps echoed and she hung her head.

"Caroline?" Tyler's voice echoed and she slowly turned around. He walked to her. "You okay?" Caroline faked a laugh and avoided his eyes, knowing he'd see how lost and sad she looked.

"Not even a little bit." She murmured. Tyler stared at her and she gained a breath, looked up to him. "Who's this witch you said was gonna bring us back?" She asked. Tyler looked away. She stared at him and snarled. "Tyler, you have the way to getting us out of here, right?"

"Caroline, she disappeared. Okay, the others who were standing guard told me she got sucked into the void."

"It's still happening?" Caroline asked.

"Yeah. So unless you know another witch, we're screwed."

"Klaus has another sister." She blurted out. Tyler stared at her.

"What?"

"Yeah, her name's Freya. She's like, one of the most powerful witches by blood. This whole thing with his aunt an a deal his mom made..."

"She can help us?" Tyler pressed.

"She's trying right now. If we can get her attention somehow maybe she can tell us what we need to do." Caroline replied. Tyler nodded.

"I can try. I've had more time to practice my part in Ghost for a while. Demi Moore would've noticed me before that boytoy took his shirt off." Caroline giggled and smiled at Tyler who returned her smile.

"Let's get Freya's attention then. No time to waste."


	24. Do You Love Her

I don't know what I was afraid of. Of course Caroline could've easily moved on without me, broken my heart as I feared she would have. The fear of the unknown haunts me every moment of the day. The fear of not knowing whether she would show up at my door or be the one to kill me and dance over my ashes, kept me up at night when other nights were used walking about the city and trying to keep her from my mind in resentment. But if Stefan loved her, that would ensure her safety. If the ripper could be trusted to protect the strong, brave and fierce woman that is Caroline Forbes. My future killer or not, Caroline was a treasured secret of mine I could not let come to light. Hope was only safe because she was always by her family, who would die to see her live. Stefan needed to be the man Caroline had if I was not permitted to protect her.

Stefan looked over at me and simply asked if I still had feelings for her. I would've noticed the dodging if I weren't about to dodge his own question myself. I didn't want anything to happen to her. If Stefan believed I still loved her, it was possible he'd turn her out much like he'd done with his fated doppelganger. My remembrance of the final moments, before she and I parted last from the forest; the last tender kisses we shared that even now lingered on my lips, the look of her when her guard was truly down; the sweetest way she'd ever looked upon me had become a memory for my mind, and only my mind. And even as I explained my life was too complicated to attend to another complicated woman, whether I believed those words or not, I could not bear the thought of bringing her pain.

I guessed at why it was Rayna Cruz's blade ended up in Stefan's flesh: Caroline. Something happened and the huntress was after her. When Stefan shot my suspicions down again, anger rolled inside me. Elijah had spent far too long sacrificing his eternal love life to keep me safe, to make me happy. Who knew what had happened to those women he held affection for. The ones I did not kill, anyway. If there was one thing Aurora De Martel had taught me, was the wrath of a scorned woman who was so by my hand. Caroline did not deserve to become another one of the women cast aside for the sake of love between brothers. She deserved far better than Stefan appeared capable of giving her. Damon coveting Elena had turned Stefan's sights on Caroline. And despite my annoyance and jealousy at that fact, I had to accept it. She loved another man at present. If Stefan did not love her, he would learn it was better for him to do so, than to break her heart. The thought of it brought me much more pain than the past months of torturing myself, wondering if Caroline had ever truly shown me how she felt. Her pain, Hope's pain, I could not endure being the one who inflicted it upon them. Just as I would do right by my little girl, I will do right by the woman I love.


	25. Wedding Trap

I'm sorry everybody for the title mishap, I wann't thinkin

Stefan tries to kill Caroline in a wedding trap and when Klaus and the others try to stop him, he makes a speech about how he knew Caroline never got over Klaus.

* * *

Caroline walked in the big room, her pageant dress ripped at the side, dried blood on her hip. She scanned the room with caution and walked farther down the aisle, trying not to think about how she'd imagined this moment so many times.

Stefan appeared, whistling 'Here comes the Bride' slowly and Caroline slowly turned to face him, a guarded expression on her face and her heart clenched. Stefan had his hands in his suit pockets, and stopped short, lifting his eyes easily to Caroline without a care in the world. Ripper Stefan right before her.

"Did you honestly think this was actually going to happen?" Stefan asked, breaking the silence. Caroline blinked and inhaled deeply, trying to overwhelm the pain in her chest with useless oxygen. "I mean, I was never in love with you. I never even loved you. And what I was thinking being friends with you when I didn't care whether you lived or died…I don't even know what those thoughts were now."

"Maybe if you turned it back on you'd remember." Caroline replied in a small voice, internally scolding herself for replying. Stefan laughed shortly.

"That's the best you can do?" He asked. He walked to her in slow strides and Caroline fought the urge to run. He didn't really mean this. He wasn't going to hurt her. When his face was inches from hers she could see the hint of the devil behind his eyes. "All that talk of making you my wife, of starting a future with you, was nothing but words to me. You are nothing to me." He whispered harshly, growling. Caroline's wide eyes on him distracted him from the fact she had a stake behind her back. In one fluid motion she shoved it in his shoulder, making him cry out as she ran from him.

Stefan was before her before she was even six feet from him.

"Now is the time you die, fiancé. And this is going to be the last time you ever believe someone loved you." Stefan said. He blinked and Caroline studied him in fright, wondering what he was waiting for. Stefan's murderous smile disappeared and his shoulders slumped.

"Hello Klaus." Caroline's eyes widened and a hint of a smile flitted across her face, whirling around to look at the entrance. Klaus stood before the back row of seats, while Bonnie and Enzo raced in as well, stopping when they connected eyes with Stefan.

Klaus looked like a downright mess. She didn't look much better but from all the things Stefan had just said, maybe that was why Klaus did. His face was sunken in, his face longer with curls hanging in his eyes, looking like he desperately needed a warm shower.

"Caroline are you alright?" Klaus asked quickly, walking farther into the room. Caroline quickly nodded with another smile flitting across her face.

"Ah ah, don't get cocky old friend. Caroline and I were just having a premarital spat." Stefan said, stepped to stand beside Caroline. Klaus's face twisted into one of disgust.

"You knew how I felt about her, and yet you kept her from being happy all for…what, exactly?" Klaus asked with a hiss

"Get back at you." Stefan said simply "All those times you kept me from Elena, kept me from my brother, just so I could play the role of a family member that actually cared about you. Just because, you couldn't stand to be alone. Why shouldn't I do the same to you?"

"Well I'm sure this has been fun for you Stefan, but why don't you come to collect another day?" Enzo said.

"Because Cade asked me to, Enzo. You know as well as I do that you don't disobey, the devil." Stefan replied

"There's plenty of lore on people doing just that." Bonnie noted, looking at Caroline. Caroline smiled at her and glanced towards Klaus, whose eyes had never left her. Stefan looked at everyone, finding only Enzo staring at him now, and turned to Caroline, who was staring at Klaus.

"I know you never got over him, Caroline." Stefan said. Caroline froze and looked at him. "When you were all guilt-ridden the day after that thing happened, I could tell you wanted it to happen again. And you know what? That put the icing on the cake." He stepped closer to her. "My lovely wife-to-be" He taunted.

"Take another step and you'll find your heart missing, mate." Klaus growled.

"Now first off, I'm unkillable. It's true. Damon got killed a few times in the past week, kept springing back like a weed, then he killed me a few times and the same thing happened. Second off, I know you're not gonna kill me, Klaus. You wouldn't kill me if I killed Caroline right in front of you." Stefan replied. Klaus sped to him and got in his face.

"I would kill you right here, just for talking about an idea of it." He murmured. Stefan scoffed with a smile and took a step back. Klaus studied him and looked at Caroline, taking her in his arm.

"Oh, don't take it personally Klaus. You've got bad breath." Stefan replied. He shrugged and looked at Caroline. "I guess spending three years buried in a wall in New Orleans and then chained up like a beast would leave you no time for oral hygiene."

"Wait what?" Caroline asked. Klaus looked at her. "He was stuck in a wall for three years? That's why no one knew where you were?" She asked again.

"Fun fact, Cade is pretty connected in hell. All those bad people who get killed he can send back to spy on other people. And Mikael had some pretty interesting things to say." Stefan replied.

"So you've known where Klaus was since you made the deal? You could've told me where he was when you were telling me you sold your soul to Cade?" Caroline demanded. Stefan smirked

"I didn't want to ruin the surprise." He replied. Caroline snarled at him. "In fact, I was hoping Klaus would take more time getting here, from the time he learned you were in danger and couldn't get out of it as per usual. If I hadn't made my little speech to you, I would've left your lifeless body for Klaus to find." Stefan told her, scolding himself for it. Klaus let Caroline go and took a step in, stabbing his hand through Stefan's chest and relishing in the pained look the ripper displayed, before taking out his heart. Caroline watched Stefan slump to the floor.

"How long exactly does it take for the Salvatore's to return from the dead?" Klaus asked

"We never stuck around long enough to find out." Bonnie replied.

"Well then, we mustn't waste time." Klaus replied, slipping his arm across Caroline's back and speeding them away, Bonnie and Enzo not far behind.


	26. Come to Me

**The ending is a bit abrupt I will grant you, maybe I'll change that somehow. And yes I used a Delena thing a few times. But there's enough of them to go around, lol**

* * *

"So, here you are. In college. Building a life for yourself. Plans, a future; things you want." Klaus said over the phone, eyeing the phone as if pointedly staring right in her eye. She shouldn't be there, wherever she was. She shouldn't be waiting for Stefan to come back to her. She shouldn't be sitting there, in denial, becoming someone he didn't know, and losing the grip on herself, the woman he loved. He inhaled and kept from saying those things, knowing he would have the opportunity to tell her as best as he could later. She didn't want to hear his words, and so she didn't have to.

"I don't know what I want now." She replied smally. Klaus blinked and stopped short, freezing in the middle of that bar. Caroline Forbes, always with a plan, and she didn't know what her plan was going to be? Something was definitely very wrong.

"Yes you do." He said smoothly, beginning to walk again. "I know you want those children. And if you need to bring them here, to New Orleans to keep them safe, the door will always be open to them. I know you know, you want to be happy. And love, I hope he makes you happy but I know he won't. He's not enough for you. It's not my place to tell you but that's what I think. I know that you want a beautiful future, to be chairman of the mystic falls beautification committee and director of the policeman's yearly ruffle. And maybe those positions, that power is still in your beloved small town. But it's also here, by my side, if you want it. And Caroline, I'm not saying this because the window's closing. You will always be welcome. My heart will always be yours, and I will always be waiting for you." Klaus took a deep breath, and let himself relax for a moment, before bracing himself to be scolded. Maybe she would accept his painting of her future, maybe she wouldn't. But all those words came out so fast he could barely catch them long enough to say them properly. And so the silence stretched on.

"However long it takes, right?" Caroline asked. Klaus smiled.

"Yes. However long it takes." He replied. More silence came and he almost sat down to wait it out.

"I love you." Caroline said. His gasp was audible enough he heard her chuckle slightly. "I love you." She repeated.

"Caroline." Klaus whispered and said the only three words that were banging around in his head. "Come to me."

"I'm on my way." She replied. The call ended and Klaus stared at the phone as if it just turned to gold. Staring ahead he put the phone in his jacket, uncaring if Stefan ever got the bloody thing back.

Forever had just begun.


	27. Come to Me II

This isn't like the first Come to Me, and it's a bit longer but I hope you liek this as much as you did the first one.

* * *

The doorbell rang and Klaus opened the door grinning. There she was. Caroline Forbes, the love of his life. The woman who took center stage in most of his dreams. She grinned back at him and listed one arm so Klaus's eyes followed her arm to the infant dozing there.

"She is beautiful." Klaus said in awe stepping toward her. Caroline grinned in pride and carefully placed Josie in Klaus's outstretched arms. He stared at her sleeping face and thought of the one of the nights Hope had fallen asleep in his arms when she was this small. He looked up to Caroline, she seemed to be waiting to tell him something.

"What is it?" He asked. Caroline opened her mouth a little more and a figure appeared. Alaric. Alaric carrying the other infant girl. Alaric holding an infant who was crying.

"Mr. Saltzman" Klaus greeted in surprise, and then looked at Caroline.

"I couldn't just ditch him, these are his kids too." She defended. Klaus sighed and smiled.

"Seems you took my words to heart." He noted. She shared the gleam in his eye and turned to take Lizzie from Alaric, the infant settling a little when she was in her mother's arms. He stood upright and looked at Klaus.

"So." Alaric said. "You're holding my kid."

"It's alright Rick, Klaus has a daughter. He knows how to be a responsible role model." Caroline said, Klaus glanced at her with a smile in his eyes and looked back to Alaric.

"Role model might be stretching it a bit, Care." Alaric replied.

"Fine, but he's responsible and a father. He knows what he's doing." Alaric studied Klaus and the hybrid waited. He extended his hand and Klaus gently moved Josie to lay on one arm while he took the man's hand.

"Thank you for giving us a place to stay." He said.

* * *

They were finally alone. Together. Alone together. Alaric was putting the girls down for a nap then he would be busy fixing his room with Elijah's help and Rebekah and Freya would be watching the girls. Caroline stood close to Klaus and stared at him as he was staring at her.

"How long have you been waiting for this, huh?" Caroline teased.

"I imagine you can guess." Klaus replied, his eyes flitting to her mouth, Caroline doing the same.

"I have guessed for a long time. You have no idea how much I missed you." She said, stepping in.

"I think we can guess that as well, but perhaps you can show me." Klaus replied huskily, when Caroline's body hit his, his hand went up to her side. His eyes fixed on her mouth, Caroline began to lean in.

"Hey guys, I forgot which one was my room, could – " Alaric said as he came towards them. Klaus looked at him with a snap of his neck, Caroline breathed hard before meeting Alaric's eyes, grateful Klaus hadn't pulled his hand away. Alaric took the two of them in.

"Actually, I could probably ask Elijah."

"No, Rick it's okay I remember which room it is – " Caroline protested

"Caroline, it's fine. Enjoy your time with Klaus; I'm sure you two have plenty to talk about." Alaric said. He turned around and Caroline watched him, debating going after him or not. One of Klaus's fingers slightly moving on her side brought her back and she decided Elijah could help him.

"Pretty sure we have nothing to catch up on." Caroline said.

"Well, except for the obvious." Klaus agreed. She gave him a look, wondering where he was going with his thoughts. He placed his other hand on her face and drew her mouth to his, kissing her as softly as he'd ever done. Caroline kissed him back harder, drawing her arms around his neck and inhaling his scent. He pulled her tighter against him and Caroline pushed him into the nearest wall, luckily not loud enough for it to be heard. She pulled her head back and looked at him with a smile. Klaus's hands rested on the small of her back and he smiled back at her.

"We have an eternity to do this." Caroline told him. Klaus nodded and kissed her again, before taking her hand and leading her to the main room where everyone was waiting.


	28. Rescue from Darkness

Despite the dramatic title, I wrote this at 5am. I don't really know what this is, it basically just came outta my pen.

* * *

He crouched down next to her. She was in the dark, he was in the light. How peculiar that situation was.

"You have to get up, sweet heart." Klaus murmured to her. He felt calm. More peaceful than the decades he spent away from her. This was different.

"I can't, it's too hard" She sobbed, shaking her head.

"You are Caroline bloody Forbes. You are, by far, the strongest woman I know." She turned to him. "You survived me." That got him a laugh amid the tears. "And that's an accomplishment for any woman. You are good. And beautiful. Kind. Rare." She turned to him again and saw how serious his stare had become. Her tears stopped as she waited for his next words. "You are the fucking love of my life. And I will not, I cannot, live forever without you." Klaus said. Caroline smiled and reached out to cup his face, seeing how vulnerable he just made himself. She leaned over and her fingers went to bury in his hair. She kissed him and he reached over, grabbing her behind the neck to keep his balance, and closed his eyes when she pulled away to rest her forehead on his.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"You have no need to apologize, love." He replied.

"Shut up" She murmured with a smile and let him help her up, her legs too weak to hold her he lifted her and swung her legs to fall on his other arm.

"I've got you love. You don't have to worry anymore, I've got you." Caroline rested her head against Klaus's and he turned into the light, walking away from the darkness that almost took his love.


	29. Colors of Blue

I might add to this, I don't know. Not much of a storyline here, just floating out in the deep space of fanfiction. That might change at some point.

* * *

"I am in love with you, and that's not good because you're evil. How do I know the next time I hurt you, you're not going to try to kill my friends, or try to kill me, or compel me to do whatever?"

"Because I'm not like that, Caroline! Don't you see, I want all of you. The sexy control freak, the shrew, the princess of Monaco, the woman that screams at me. I don't want you to coddle me and tell me you love me just so our relationship stays safe and I don't go on a murderous rampage. I want you to be there when I am in the thick of it and knock some bloody sense into me!" Klaus replied. Caroline stared at him.

"You know, I didn't use to be pure evil, I didn't use to hold century's worth of grudges and love that monsters were afraid of me. I used to only want to be happy with my family and do what makes me happy. I had to have my heart broken so badly that I became something I didn't even recognize in a pool of water. I've been this way for a thousand years, love. But you changed me back, and I like being the good man, especially for you." Klaus took a deep breath and stood in wait for Caroline's reply. She looked away with a small smile, and then gazed back at him.

"You think I'm sexy when I'm being a control freak?"

"Sexy as hell, Caroline." He replied easily. Caroline laughed and threw her arms around him, crushing her lips to his. His surprise was so great when he caught her he didn't even realize he was falling to the ground.


End file.
